Colon cancer is among the leading causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality both in the United States and globally, with alarming increases in incidence and mortality among younger adults. Although the exact causes of these increases are unknown, lifestyle factors—including poor diet, sedentary habits, smoking, and alcohol use; as well as metabolic risk factors, such as obesity—appear to play an important role in the development of the cancer.
Emerging evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may influence cancer mortality, and the results from a new study may add to that mounting evidence. A retrospective cohort study comparing the use of GLP-1 RAs in patients with colon cancer and comorbid obesity has found that these patients had a significantly lower risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, sepsis, and the need for mechanical ventilation compared with patients who had not received these drugs. Further longitudinal cohort studies are needed to better understand the associations between GLP-1 RAs and their impact on cancer and guide evidence-based clinical practice in this patient population, according to the study authors. The data is being presented by Arya et al during the 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, taking place January 8–10 in San Francisco (Abstract 83).
Study Methodology
The researchers analyzed data collected from 18,370 participants in TriNetX, a global network of 105 health-care organizations. Adult patients aged 18 years and older diagnosed with colon cancer and comorbid obesity were identified, and were then stratified into two cohorts, including 1,986 patients receiving a GLP-1 RA and 16,384 patients who had not received an agent. The two cohorts were propensity-matched based on age, sex, race, and common comorbidities. The average age of the patients in the first cohort was 68.8 years and was 74.3 years in the second cohort. After propensity matching, each cohort consisted of 1,983 patients with similar baseline characteristics and ethnicity distribution. The patients were followed for 5 years to assess outcomes, including overall mortality as well as rates of myocardial infarction, sepsis, acute pancreatitis, and the need for mechanical ventilation and hemodialysis.
Results
Over 5 years, patients with colon cancer and obesity who received a GLP-1 RA had a significantly lower risk of overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.461, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.401–0.532, P < .001), myocardial infarction (HR = 0.827, 95% CI = 0.668–0.993, P = .005), sepsis (risk difference = –3.48%, 95% CI = –4.774 to –2.185, P < .001), and need for mechanical ventilation (HR = 0.486, 95% CI = 0.321–0.739, P = .037).
There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of acute pancreatitis and the need for hemodialysis between the two subgroups.
“Our study revealed that patients with colon cancer and obesity who received GLP-1 RAs had a significantly lower risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, sepsis, and need for mechanical ventilation. Further longitudinal cohort studies are imperative to better understand these associations and guide evidence-based clinical practice in this population,” concluded the study authors.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit coi.asco.org.
