Diabetol Metab Syndr
Dual SGLT2 + GLP-1 therapy tied to lower colon cancer risk in diabetes
Clinical takeaway: Combination SGLT2 and GLP-1 therapy may offer potential chemopreventive benefits in high-risk patients, but findings are observational.
Patients with type 2 diabetes have an elevated risk of colorectal cancer, prompting interest in whether newer glucose-lowering therapies may have anticancer effects. This study examined whether combining SGLT2 inhibitors with GLP-1 receptor agonists reduces colon cancer risk after polypectomy.
In a target trial emulation using real-world data from 2017 to 2025, 28,934 patients per group were propensity-matched to compare dual therapy vs. SGLT2 inhibitor monotherapy.
Dual therapy was associated with a 21% relative reduction in colon cancer risk. Additional benefits were observed, including 1) fewer colectomies, 2) fewer other gastrointestinal cancers, 3) reduced kidney events, and 4) lower all-cause mortality.
“This association also persisted when comparing dual therapy against GLP-1 receptor agonist monotherapy alone, indicating additive chemopreventive effects of the combination warranting prospective investigation,” summed up the analysis.
Source: Wang CH, et al. Diabetol Metab Syndr. March 29, 2026. Association of dual SGLT-2 inhibitor and GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy with colon cancer risk in post-polypectomy patients with diabetes