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After a lung cancer diagnosis, you might wonder how other health conditions or medications may affect your outlook. With the rise of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) weight loss drugs, it’s natural to have safety questions. Talking with your health care provider can help you understand any risks and make informed decisions.
Continue reading to learn more about GLP-1 drugs and how they can affect people with lung cancer.
GLP-1 drugs are medications used alongside diet and healthy lifestyle changes to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
Glucagon-like peptide 1 is a hormone naturally made by the small intestines. GLP-1 drugs are laboratory-made drugs that work by mimicking the normal functions of this hormone. That’s why these medications are sometimes also called GLP-1 analogs. You may also hear people refer to GLP-1 drugs as GLP-1 receptor agonists or GLP-1 agonists.
The hormone GLP-1 can help lower glucose (blood sugar) levels in people with type 2 diabetes by triggering the release of insulin from your pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body turn food into energy. Normally, insulin is released when your blood sugar increases after you eat. Insulin lowers your blood sugar by helping the cells in your body use the sugar for energy.
In addition to increasing insulin release, the GLP-1 hormone also:
By acting like the GLP-1 hormone, GLP-1 drugs can help lower blood sugar and help a person lose weight by making them feel more satisfied after eating.
Examples of GLP-1 drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat type 2 diabetes include:
The FDA has also approved three GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity in people with or without type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 drugs approved for weight loss include:
GLP-1 drugs are relatively new, so researchers are still learning more about the potential benefits of these drugs. However, they have found that GLP-1 drugs can improve other health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and fatty liver disease.
There aren’t any studies looking at the effects of GLP-1 drugs on people with lung cancer. However, early research shows there may be several benefits.
Around 1 in 10 people in the United States have diabetes. Most people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Moreoever, some people with lung cancer may also have type 2 diabetes, due to shared risk factors like smoking, obesity, or age. Additionally, certain lung cancer treatments, such as some immunotherapy drugs or corticosteroids, can cause high blood sugar or even lead to diabetes.
GLP-1 drugs are commonly used to manage type 2 diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes and lung cancer, a GLP-1 drug may be part of your treatment plan to keep your blood sugar under control. Effectively managing type 2 diabetes can help some cancer treatments work better and decrease your risk of complications, such as infections.
Early research has found a link between the use of GLP-1 drugs and improved function. Some scientists believe that GLP-1 drugs may work directly on the lungs to reduce inflammation.
So far, there isn’t any research on the effect of GLP-1 drugs on the lung function of people with lung cancer. This association has been found in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Because COPD is a risk factor for lung cancer, GLP-1 drugs may be useful for treating people with these conditions.
A 2023 study found that people using GLP-1 drugs for type 2 diabetes had fewer COPD exacerbations (flare-ups) compared to those using other diabetes treatments. Early research like this shows promising results for the effects of GLP-1 drugs on lung function in people with COPD. However, more research, including high-quality clinical trials, is needed to find out how and why GLP-1 drugs may be helpful.
Some lung cancer treatments have cardiotoxic effects (damage your heart) and cause cardiovascular (heart) disease. In fact, heart disease is a common cause of death in cancer survivors. GLP-1 drugs have been found to decrease the risk of heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes. Because of this, some researchers believe that these medications may also help reduce the risk of heart disease associated with cancer treatment.
A 2024 study looked into the effect of GLP-1 drugs on heart damage in people with breast cancer treated with anthracycline (a cardiotoxic drug) and type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that people taking GLP-1 drugs had fewer heart-related problems after receiving breast cancer treatments known to cause heart damage. Research is needed to find out if this effect is also present in people with lung cancer.
Early research has found that GLP-1 drugs may be useful in fighting lung cancer. It’s important to note that studies on the effect of GLP-1 drugs on lung cancer are in the early stages and there aren’t any studies in humans yet.
A laboratory study cited in the journal Frontiers in Bioscience found that liraglutide can slow the growth of lung cancer cells and significantly reduce lung cell damage caused by high glucose conditions in vitro. This means the study was conducted in a lab setting, rather than in a living organism. Another study in mice found that GLP-1 drugs may enhance the effectiveness of certain immunotherapies in treating lung and liver cancers.
More research is needed to understand if the effect seen in the laboratory will also be seen in humans.
GLP-1 drugs may have a role in reducing cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes. A 2022 study from the journal Endocrine Research found that taking a GLP-1 drug was associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, including:
While there is some promising research on the use of GLP-1 in lung cancer, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks of these medications.
You’ll need to be in good health and strong enough to handle the effects of lung cancer treatment. This helps ensure that your body can recover well and manage the physical demands of treatment. The side effects of GLP-1 drugs and lung cancer treatments can overlap, potentially worsening a person’s overall health and making it more difficult to tolerate both therapies together.
Common side effects of both GLP-1 drugs and chemotherapy for lung cancer include:
As a result, using GLP-1 drugs alongside lung cancer treatments may intensify certain side effects, potentially leading to greater weight loss and cachexia (loss of muscle mass and body weight).
Because GLP-1 drugs slow digestion, some medications may be less effective when taken alongside them. Some drugs that may interact with GLP-1 drugs include:
Make sure all members of your health care team are aware of every medication, vitamin, and supplement you’re taking so they can make the best treatment recommendations to keep you safe and avoid drug interactions.
GLP-1 drugs are associated with a higher risk of thyroid cancer. In animal studies, GLP-1 drugs were found to increase the risk of thyroid C-cell tumors, such as medullary thyroid carcinoma. For this reason, GLP-1 drugs are not recommended for people with a personal or family history that might raise their risk of cancer of the thyroid.
Talk to your oncologist for more information about how a GLP-1 drug may affect your risk of developing thyroid cancer.
On MyLungCancerTeam, the social network for people with lung cancer and their loved ones, more than 13,000 people from around the world come together to ask questions, offer support and advice, and connect with others who understand life with lung cancer.
Have you taken GLP-1 drugs for diabetes or weight loss? Did you experience any side effects? Share your story in the comments below or by posting on your Activities page.
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Leonora Valdez Rojas, M.D.
received her medical degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara before pursuing a fellowship in internal medicine and subsequently in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute.
Learn more about her here.
Amanda Jacot, PharmD
earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2009 and a Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Texas College of Pharmacy in 2014.
Learn more about her here.
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