Should we exclude hemato-oncological patients from obesity treatment with semaglutide? – A case report
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1
Students’ Scientific Club, Department of Internal Medicine and Oncological Chemotherapy,
Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
2
Department of Internal Medicine and Oncological Chemotherapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Corresponding author
Julia Dobrowolska
Studenckie Koło Naukowe, Katedra i Klinika Chorób Wewnętrznych i Chemioterapii Onkologicznej, ul. Reymonta 8, 40-027 Katowice
Ann. Acad. Med. Siles. 2025;79:316-322
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ABSTRACT
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA), is now widely used in the treatment of diabetes and obesity. However, there are still insufficient safety data for the use of GLP-1RAs in oncological and hemato-oncological patients, as they have not been included in clinical trials. The potential prooncogenic activity of GLP-1RAs in patients with thyroid cancer has been reported, raising concerns about the safety of semaglutide in oncological and hemato-oncological patients. We present a case of a 57-year-old man, who suffered from class III obesity (BMI: 40.4 kg/m2), type 2 diabetes, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL; RAI stage I and Binet A stage). The patient started therapy with semaglutide to manage obesity and diabetes; he had already begun systemic therapy for CLL with obinutuzumab and venetoclax, which was continued after its complete remission. More than 3 years of semaglutide therapy improved the patients’ metabolic control of diabetes and resulted in significant weight loss (16% of the initial body mass), with no reported adverse drug reactions and without compromising hematologic stability. Our case report suggests that hemato-oncological patients should not be categorically excluded from treatment with semaglutide, as long as close hematological and clinical monitoring is ensured. However, as this observation is based on a single case report, no definitive general recommendations regarding the safety of semaglutide in hemato-oncological patients can be made at this time.
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