From the Research
Relationship Between GLP-1 and Thyroid Cancer
- The relationship between Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and thyroid cancer has been investigated in several studies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Some studies suggest that there is no conclusive evidence of an elevated thyroid cancer risk associated with GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use 1, 2, 5.
- However, other studies have found an increased risk of thyroid cancer with GLP-1 RA use, particularly after 1-3 years of treatment 3, 4.
- A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that GLP-1 RA treatment was associated with a significant increase in the risk of overall thyroid cancer, but the absolute risk was small 4.
- The evidence for an association between GLP-1 RA use and specific types of thyroid cancer, such as medullary thyroid cancer, is inconsistent across studies 1, 3, 4, 5.
Study Findings
- A narrative review of the association between GLP-1 RAs and thyroid cancer found that the evidence from randomized controlled trials indicates that the occurrence of thyroid cancer is infrequent in individuals exposed to GLP-1 RA 1.
- A multisite cohort study found no evidence that GLP-1 RA use is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer, with a follow-up ranging from 1.8 to 3.0 years 2.
- A nested case-control analysis found that use of GLP-1 RA for 1-3 years was associated with an increased risk of all thyroid cancer and medullary thyroid cancer 3.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that GLP-1 RA treatment was associated with a significant increase in the risk of overall thyroid cancer 4.
- A Scandinavian cohort study found that GLP-1 receptor agonist use was not associated with a substantially increased risk of thyroid cancer over a mean follow-up of 3.9 years 5.