Liraglutide at maximum dose (3 mg daily) failed to control weight gain in a toddler with tumor-related hypothalamic obesity caused by a brainstem ganglioglioma.
3 mg liraglutide — no effectMaximum dose GLP-1 therapy failed to control weight gain driven by structural brain damage in a toddler
What the researchers found
Liraglutide up to 3 mg daily failed to improve weight gain in a 3-year-old with tumor-related hypothalamic obesity from a brainstem ganglioglioma, despite good tolerability.
Why it matters
Not all obesity responds to GLP-1 drugs. Understanding which types of obesity are resistant helps set appropriate expectations and guides research toward alternative treatments for these patients.
The numbers in context
Patient: 19-month-old female, ganglioglioma in medulla oblongata (5.5 x 2.6 x 2.3 cm). Liraglutide 0.3 mg titrated to 3 mg daily over 3 months. No GI side effects. Weight continued to increase.
How the study worked
Single pediatric case report documenting clinical course of GLP-1 RA therapy for tumor-related hypothalamic obesity.
Who was studied
One 3-year-old with brainstem tumor-related obesity
What this study cannot tell us
Single case report — cannot determine if other GLP-1 drugs or doses might work. The underlying brain tumor may have progressed during treatment.
How to read the evidence
Single case report — limited evidence but important for highlighting GLP-1 drug limitations in specific obesity types.
When this study was published
Published in 2025.
The bigger picture
This case highlights that GLP-1 drugs work primarily through appetite and metabolic pathways that may be bypassed when brain structural damage directly disrupts weight regulation centers.
Questions still open
- Would newer GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or dual agonists like tirzepatide be effective where liraglutide failed?
- What alternative pharmacological approaches exist for tumor-related hypothalamic obesity in children?
Common questions
Why did the weight loss drug not work for this child?
What is hypothalamic obesity?
Read the original research
Failure of GLP-1 Agonist Therapy to Improve Weight in a 3-Year-Old Patient With Tumor-Related Obesity.
Case reports in pediatrics, 2025, 1707315
Citation
Petlansky, Rebecca; Graber, Evan. (2025). Failure of GLP-1 Agonist Therapy to Improve Weight in a 3-Year-Old Patient With Tumor-Related Obesity.. Case reports in pediatrics, 2025, 1707315. https://doi.org/10.1155/crpe/1707315