# May Patients Receiving GLP-1 Agonists Be at Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness and Progression?

## TL;DR

This review explores whether GLP-1 receptor agonists, used for obesity and diabetes, might reduce prostate cancer aggressiveness and progression.

## Contribution

The paper reviews the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists as novel therapeutic agents for advanced prostate cancer.

## Key findings

- GLP-1 receptor agonists may modulate pathways involved in prostate cancer development.
- There is potential for GLP-1RAs to serve as therapeutic agents in advanced prostate cancer.
- Further research is needed to confirm the clinical implications of GLP-1RAs in prostate cancer.

## Abstract

Obesity and periprostatic adipose tissue (via adipokine release) play an important role in prostate cancer development. Moreover, diabetes and metabolic syndrome are involved in prostate cancer. GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are valuable therapeutic agents for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. This literature review provides detailed information on the role of incretin hormone-dependent pathways in prostate cancer development, as well as the potential impact of GLP-1RAs on prostate cancer. GLP-1RAs seem to be promising, novel, therapeutical agents, especially in advanced and metastatic prostate cancer when standard therapies become insufficient. Nevertheless, further research is necessary in this field.

Introduction: GLP-1 receptor agonists are valuable therapeutic agents for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes. The link between prostate cancer and obesity was described. The modulation of incretin hormone-dependent pathways may decrease the prostate cancer aggressiveness and progression. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to review and summarize the literature on the role of GLP-1 agonists in prostate cancer. Material & Methods: We performed a scoping literature review of PubMed from January 2002 to February 2025. Search terms included “glucagon-peptide like 1”, “incretin hormone”, “GLP-1 receptor agonist”, and “prostate cancer”. Secondary search involved reference lists of eligible articles. The key criterion was to identify studies that included GLP-1 receptor, incretin hormones, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and their role in prostate cancer development. Results: 77 publications were selected for inclusion in this review. The studies contained in publications allowed us to summarize the data on the role of GLP-1 receptor and it’s agonists in prostate cancer biology and development. The following review aims to discuss and provide information about the role of incretin hormones in prostate cancer pathogenesis and its clinical implication in patients with prostate cancer. Conclusion: Incretin hormone-dependent pathways play an important role in prostate cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, GLP-1 receptor agonists seems to be a promising therapeutical agents when it comes to finding new therapies in patients with more aggressive and/or advanced stages of prostate cancer.