GLP-1 receptor agonist as treatment for cancer as well as diabetes: beyond blood glucose control

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Recent studies indicate that cancer is a new complication of diabetes. In Japan, cancer is the most critical cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Areas covered: Unlike diabetic angiopathies, diabetes does not accelerate the onset and progression of cancer, even though diabetes and cancer exhibit very similar pathophysiological features including obesity, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and decreased adipokine imbalance. Agonists to glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor are a newly identified therapy for type 2 diabetes. These drugs exert their effects by enhancing glucose-induced insulin secretion and inhibiting appetite. However, the relationship between GLP-1 receptor agonists and cancer is controversial.

Expert commentary: GLP-1 receptor agonist may possess anti-cancer effect in several kind of cancers.

KEYWORDS:

• GLP-1
• cancer
• obesity
• diabetes
• hyperinsulinemia

Acknowledgments

We provide special thanks to Dr. Tomoko Tanaka, Ms. Takako Kawanami and Ms. Yuriko Hamaguchi for their excellent technical support to our research.

Declaration of interest

Eli Lilly provided financial support as joint research. Suzuken Memorial Foundation provided a research grant. Merck Sharp & Dohme donated an endowed chair to our department. T. Nomiyama has received lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Astellas, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis Pharma, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, and research funds from Astellas and Merck Sharp & Dohme. T. Yanase was supported financially for his research by Merck Sharp & Dohme, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Sanwa Chemistry Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., Novartis Pharma, Kowa Company Ltd., and Fujifilm Pharma Co., Ltd. However, these companies did not have any additional role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript and provided by Edanz group Japan.