Evaluation of biologically active substances promoting the development of or protecting against endometrial cancer

Abstract

IntroductionAdipose tissue is considered an endocrine organ and produces a number of biologically active substances.AimsTo consider the role that four adipokines – leptin, omentin-1, vaspin, and galectin-3 – play in the diagnosis of endometrium cancer and to investigate the association between serum concentrations of adipose tissue metabolism products and the diagnostics and prognosis in endometrial cancer.Patients and methodsThe study included 168 patients with body mass index (BMI) >20 kg/m2 admitted due to post-menopausal bleeding.ResultsA receiver operating characteristic curves test was performed to determine the diagnostic values of the proteins tested. For leptin and galectin-3 the area under the curve (AUC) values were 0.79/0.68, while for vaspin and omentin-1 the AUC values were 0.82/0.86 for all study patients. The final model identified the following independent risk factors: glucose concentration, BMI, waist circumference, leptin, and vaspin concentrations. Diagnostic values of leptin and galectin-3 with regard to differentiation between high (Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie Obstétrique [FIGO] III and IV) and low (FIGO I and II) stages of clinical tumor advancement and prediction of tumor grading (G1 vs G3) based on the AUC curve were 0.82/0.70 and 0.80/0.74. The AUC values for vaspin and omentin-1 with respect to differentiation between histopathological advancement and grading were 0.86/0.81 and 0.83/0.77, respectively. Significantly lower values of mean omentin-1 and vaspin concentrations were also demonstrated in cases of lymphatic vessel invasion, lymph node metastases, or deep endometrial infiltration (p=0.002, p=0.01, p=0.003, respectively).ConclusionIt appears that elevated concentrations of leptin, vaspin, and omentin-1 may indicate the presence of endometrial cancer. Furthermore, leptin serum level and vaspin appear to be useful tools in the assessment of clinical staging of endometrial cancer.

The influence of leptin on the process of carcinogenesis

“…In addition, it was confirmed that there was an increased leptin level among patients with a higher stage of endometrial cancer and with a lower grade of histopathological differentiation [45]. There was also ascertained a relationship between leptin concentrations and lymph vessel infiltration and the presence of metastases to the lymph nodes [44, 45]. The results of the studies have shown that the endometrial cancer cell lines expressed higher levels of the leptin receptors as opposed to the primary non-malignant endometrial cells [45].…”

“…Chronic inflammation that accompanies obese people and those with metabolic syndrome and accompanying hyperinsulinaemia seems to have a key influence on the proliferation process of endometrial cancer cells in obese patients [43]. Many studies have shown the higher level of leptin in patients with endometrial cancer [44]. In addition, it was confirmed that there was an increased leptin level among patients with a higher stage of endometrial cancer and with a lower grade of histopathological differentiation [45].…”

Serum visfatin and vaspin levels in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

“…Several human research studies focused on the potential correlation between serum vaspin levels and obesity or T2DM [7]. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are only two recent prospective studies showed the link between vaspin and specific cancers [36,37]. There are reports of higher levels of vaspin in colorectal cancer [36], independent of measures of obesity, but the exact mechanism underlying vaspin in relation to cancer growth remained to be elucidated.…”

“…The study by Cymbaluk-Płoska et al showed that lower concentrations of vaspin may indicate the presence of endometrial cancer. It was underlying the protective role of vaspin, which may improve tissue insulin understanding and inhibit inflammatory processes in vascular endothelium [34,37]. Neither study has successfully explained the mechanism of vaspin to the respective cancer.…”

Effect of Baseline Characteristics and Tumor Burden on Vaspin Expression and Progressive Disease in Operable Colorectal Cancer

“…CEA is a promising tumor marker of the prognosis of colorectal cancer; a high level of CEA usually indicates a poor prognosis or survival outcome [ 21 , 22 ]. Unlike CEA, vaspin is a novel biomarker of the risk of the development and progression of certain cancers; however, it has been seldom discussed in progressive disease in colorectal cancer [ 12 , 23 ]. The current study demonstrated that vaspin and CEA may be interdependently related to colorectal cancer progression and can be affected by the baseline characteristics.…”