Relationship Between Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Kidney Neoplasm: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Kidney cancer is a common tumor of the urinary system, and existing data on the relationship between sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors use and kidney cancer are inconsistent. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between SGLT2 inhibitor use and the risk of developing kidney cancer. Materials and Methods: This study was designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines. Accordingly, a comprehensive search was conducted in the Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed databases, as well as the Google Scholar search engine, up to January 5, 2026. Data analysis was performed using STATA version 14. Results: The results showed that the association between the use of SGLT2 inhibitors (OR: 1.14, 95 CI: 0.86–1.52), dapagliflozin (OR: 1.67, 95 CI: 0.47–5.93), canagliflozin (OR: 1.59, 95 CI: 0.61–4.15), and empagliflozin (OR: 1.31, 95 CI: 0.52–3.27) with the risk of kidney cancer was not statistically significant. However, SGLT2 inhibitor use was associated with a reduced risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (OR: 0.69, 95 CI: 0.63–0.76). In contrast, compared with dipeptidyl peptidase‑4 (DPP‑4) inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitor use was linked to an increased risk of kidney cancer (OR: 1.64, 95 CI: 1.11–2.43). Conclusion: In conclusion, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors did not affect the incidence of kidney cancer, but it was associated with a 31 reduction in the risk of RCC. In contrast, compared with DPP‑4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitor use increased the risk of kidney cancer by 64. Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO (ID: CRD420261293668) and Research Registry (UIN; reviewregistry2078) websites. © 2026 Society of Diabetic Nephropathy Prevention. All right reserved.