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Updated: Jul 19, 2025
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Isolation of Proximal Fluids to Investigate the Tumor Microenvironment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Published on: November 5, 2020
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Sex-Specific Associations between Adiponectin and Leptin Signaling and Pancreatic Cancer Survival
Ana Babic1, Qiao-Li Wang1, Alice A Lee2
1Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Summary
Prediagnostic adiponectin levels were linked to shorter pancreatic cancer survival in women but not men. Specific gene variations in adiponectin and leptin receptors also impacted patient survival.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Circulating adiponectin and leptin levels are linked to pancreatic cancer risk.
- The impact of prediagnostic adipokine exposure on pancreatic cancer patient survival remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prediagnostic adiponectin and leptin levels and pancreatic cancer patient survival.
- To explore the role of genetic variations in adiponectin and leptin receptor genes in relation to pancreatic cancer survival.
Main Methods:
- Adipokine levels were measured in 472 pancreatic cancer patients' prospectively collected samples.
- Associations were analyzed separately for men and women due to sex-specific differences.
- 23 SNPs in ADIPOR1/ADIPOR2 and 30 SNPs in LEPR were genotyped in a subset of 415 patients.
Main Results:
- Higher adiponectin levels correlated with shorter survival in women (HR 1.71), but not in men (HR 0.89).
- Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ADIPOR1 (rs10753929, rs1418445) and LEPR (rs12025906, rs3790431, rs17127601) were associated with survival in the combined population.
- LEPR SNP rs11585329 showed a significant association with survival exclusively in men (HR 0.39).
Conclusions:
- Prediagnostic high adiponectin levels are associated with reduced survival in women with pancreatic cancer.
- Genetic variations in adiponectin and leptin receptor genes are linked to pancreatic cancer patient survival.
- Obesity-associated pathways, including adipokine signaling, should be examined in a sex-specific manner for pancreatic cancer research.
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