REVIEW   

Minerva Endocrinology 2023 Dec 21

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6507.23.04101-5

Copyright © 2023 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Exploring the potential impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists in cancer therapy

Baseer ASLAM ¹ ✉, Muhammad D. BIN ZAFAR ¹, Mah I Khan CHANGEZ ², Muhammad ABDULLAH ¹, Muhammad SAFWAN ³, Bisma QAMAR ⁴, Abdullah SHINWARI ⁵, Sanjana RAI ⁴

¹ Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan; ² Quetta Institute of Medical Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan; ³ Saidu Medical College, Swat, Pakistan; ⁴ Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan; ⁵ Peshawar Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are used in diabetes management and can have a potential application in cancer therapy. While their involvement in cancer treatment is still being studied, recent research suggests they may have benefits in cancer therapy. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using search engines like Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed to explore the effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in tumor suppression and regression. Mostly in-vitro studies on GLP-1 receptor agonists have shown promising effects in inhibiting cancer cell growth, inducing apoptosis, and modulating angiogenesis and have been reported to be beneficial in colon, prostate, gall bladder, ovarian, and endometrial carcinomas. However, concerns have been raised about potential tumorigeneses, as liraglutide has been reported to be associated with increased incidence of breast, thyroid, and pancreatic carcinomas. Whereas combination therapy of exendin-4 with gemcitabine may be beneficial in pancreatic cancer. GLP-1 receptor agonists may have significant potential in oncology, due to their various mechanisms of action and favorable safety profiles. Limited clinical application, lack of awareness, and the need for further research are current barriers. Future studies should focus on optimal dosage, patient selection, and interdisciplinary collaboration to integrate GLP-1 receptor agonists into routine oncological practice for improved outcomes, warranting large randomized clinical trials in this field.

KEY WORDS: Oncology service, hospital; Neoplasms; Therapy; Endocrinology; Inflammation