GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Breast Cancer: A New Frontier in Obesity and Prognosis Management
Abstract
Obesity is a well-established risk factor for both the incidence and poorer clinical outcomes of Breast Cancer (BC), particularly among hormone receptor-positive postmenopausal women. However, conventional weight loss interventions have yielded limited success in altering cancer prognosis. Recently, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, have emerged as effective pharmacologic agents for sustained weight loss and are under investigation in oncology. This narrative review synthesizes evidence linking obesity to poor BC prognosis and evaluates the therapeutic potential of GLP-1 RAs in this context. Mechanistically, obesity exacerbates tumor progression through hormonal imbalance, chronic inflammation, and adipokine and insulin signaling, targets that may be modifiable through weight reduction. GLP-1 RAs offer multiple benefits, such as appetite suppression, delayed gastric emptying, and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Clinical studies in BC patients have shown weight loss ranging from 2.3% to 5%, likely attenuated by concurrent endocrine therapy. Preliminary data suggest that GLP-1 RA use does not increase the risk of cancer recurrence and may reduce cardiovascular morbidity. However, prospective studies are needed to confirm long-term oncologic safety and efficacy. Disparities in access and cost remain barriers to widespread adoption. Nevertheless, GLP-1 RAs represent a promising adjunct to manage obesity among BC patients,…
Read the paper
Related studies
- A Coupled SYSTEM of Intracellular Ca 2+ Clocks and Surface Membrane Voltage Clocks Controls the Timekeeping Mechanism of the Heart’s Pacemaker
- A Comprehensive Review on the Therapeutic Potential of Curcuma longa Linn. in Relation to its Major Active Constituent Curcumin
- Cancer epigenetics: Moving forward
- Current developments in LC-MS for pharmaceutical analysis
- Myricetin: A comprehensive review on its biological potentials
- A Computational Systems Biology Software Platform for Multiscale Modeling and Simulation: Integrating Whole-Body Physiology, Disease Biology, and Molecular Reaction Networks
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.