Circulating adiponectin levels and risk of endometrial cancer: the prospective Nurses' Health Study

Adiponectin, a protein secreted by adipose cells, is inversely associated with endometrial cancer. Our objective was to assess prediagnostic adiponectin levels in relation to risk of endometrial cancer.

This was a prospective nested case-control study within the Nurses' Health Study with 146 cases and 377 controls. Adiponectin was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Logistic regression analyses were performed adjusting for known endometrial cancer risk factors.

Mean age at diagnosis was 64.6 years. Mean interval between blood draw and diagnosis was 7.4 years (range, 2-13). There was no difference in median adiponectin (cases 12.9 vs controls 12.9 microg/mL; P = .97). Adiponectin >15 microg/mL was not associated with endometrial cancer risk (relative risk = 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.39; P = .48), even among postmenopausal women (odds ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-1.5). Results did not vary by time from blood draw to diagnosis (P for heterogeneity = .18).

Prediagnostic adiponectin was not predictive of endometrial cancer risk. Further study will better define the relationship between adiponectin and endometrial cancer.