Volume 29, Issue 161, July 2025

The Impact of Tirzepatide on Cancer Development: a literature review

Anna Klasa¹, Filip Maj^2♦, Justyna Gręda³, Karol Mateusz Wojnarowski³, Bartosz Zieliński³

¹The University Hospital in Krakow, Poland
²Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
³St. Alexander Hospital in Kielce, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Filip Maj; Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Background: Tirzepatide, a dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist, is an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, concerns persist about its potential association with cancer. This review evaluates the available evidence on tirzepatide's cancer safety profile. Materials and methods: On 17th April, 2025, the MEDLINE database was searched. The following search query was used: “tirzepatide and adverse events and cancer” with one filter “free full text”. The initial search returned 9 results. After screening of abstracts, 9 results were chosen for full text analysis, of which 5 met inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Results: Across all studies, cancer incidence was consistently low (<0,14%) with no dose-dependent relationship. Real-world data confirmed no disproportionate reporting of cancer cases. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests tirzepatide does not significantly increase cancer risk compared to other antidiabetic medications. Clinicians should monitor for symptoms but can consider it as safe therapeutic option. Further research with longer follow-up and broader patient populations is needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords: tirzepatide, cancer, gip/glp-1 receptor agonist, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e118ms3627

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v29i161.e118ms3627

Published: 27 July 2025