Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist use and risk of thyroid cancer: Scandinavian cohort study

Study (n=145,410 on GLP1RA & 291,667 on DPP4I) found GLP1RAs not linked to increased risk of thyroid cancer over mean follow-up of 3.9 years (occurred in 76 on GLP1RAs & 184 on DPP4Is; incidence rate 1.33 vs 1.46 events/10,000 person years, respectively, HR 0.93,95% CI 0.66-1.31)

SPS commentary:

The researchers note that concerns about thyroid cancer with GLP1RAa were first raised in premarketing phase in rodents, and while relevance to humans is not known, in US, the product labels include boxed warnings about thyroid cancer and these drugs are contraindicated in patients with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type. They point out that subsequent reports based on pharmacovigilance data, post hoc analyses of randomised trials, and findings from observational studies indicate a potential link between GLP1RAs and thyroid cancer. An investigation by the European Medicines Agency however concluded that the available evidence did not support a causal association.

British Medical Journal