Visceral adipose tissue inflammation in endometrial cancer

Obesity is the largest risk factor for endometrial cancer. Body Mass Index (BMI) does not fully capture obesity's metabolic and inflammatory complexity. Adipocyte hypertrophy and crown-like structures reflect adipose tissue dysfunction and obesity-associated chronic inflammation. We aimed to investigate adipocyte size and crown-like structures in visceral adipose tissue, and explore their associations with adipose tissue distribution, obesity-related comorbidities, and tumor characteristics in women with endometrial cancer.

In this retrospective study, ninety endometrial cancer patients treated at a tertiary hospital between 2012 and 2022 are included. Preoperative computed tomography scans were analyzed using a validated deep learning algorithm to quantify visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue areas and hepatic steatosis. Omental biopsies (n = 73) were examined for adipocyte size and presence of crown-like structures.

Ninety patients were included, 87.8% with high-grade endometrial cancer. Adipocyte size correlated with adipose tissue compartments, particularly visceral adipose tissue (r = 0.60, p<.01), and was associated with higher age (p<.01), diabetes mellitus (p=.03), cardiovascular disease (p<.01), and hepatic steatosis (p≤.01). Crown-like structures were present in 48% of cases with omentum available (n = 73) and independently associated with diabetes mellitus (p≤.01), but not with BMI or adipose tissue areas. Adipocyte size and CLS were unrelated to tumor characteristics.

Our findings emphasize that AT dysfunction, may link obesity with endometrial cancer. Future studies should further explore how these inflammatory and endocrine alterations in AT affect the tumor microenvironment and influence EC biology.