Abdominal adiposity through adipocyte secretion products, a risk factor for endometrial cancer

The adipose cell has been considered an inert cell from a secretory point of view. Studies over the past years have confirmed the capacity of the adipocyte to synthesize many substances including: adiponectin, leptin, which integrate multiple metabolic and endocrine signals. In the context of endometrial cancer, abdominal obesity as a risk factor is associated with a chronic inflammatory process, confirmed by the increase of inflammatory markers. The study aimed to identify a correlation between abdominal obesity, plasma adipokine levels and endometrial cancer.

Two groups of patients were included in the study: group I - 44 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, group II - 44 patients without gynecological pathology or inflammatory disorders. After the performance of clinical examination and anthropometric measurements, abdominal fat was determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry and plasma adiponectin and leptin levels were measured.

A significantly higher abdominal fat and leptin value was found in the group of patients in with endometrial cancer (p < 0.0001), while the plasma adiponectin level was significantly lower, compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). Abdominal fat was in a negative linear correlation with the plasma adiponectin level and in a positive linear correlation with the plasma leptin level.

The measurement of adiponectin and leptin levels associated with the determination of abdominal adipose tissue can be a useful predictor factor for endometrial cancer.