Plasma Lipocalin Concentrations in Relation to Visceral Fat, Risk Factor for Endometrial Cancer

Abstract

Objective The study aims to evaluate the presence of a correlation between visceral fat assessed by ultrasonography and the plasmatic level of lipocalin in patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Material and Method The study is a case-control analysis including 2 groups of patients: group I – 44 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, group II – 44 patients without gynecological pathology or inflammatory disorders. After the clinical examination and anthropometric measurements, these patients underwent ultrasonography (US) examination, in view of determining the visceral fat. At the patients included in this study, we also determined the plasmatic levels for lipocalin. Results At the patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, the intraabdominal fat area evaluated by US and the plasmatic level of lipocalin is significantly larger (p<0.0001) compared to the control group. A correlation was also found between the intraperitoneal fat area evaluated by US and the plasmatic level of lipocalin. Conclusions The measurement of the intraperitoneal fat by US in correlation with the plasmatic level of lipocalin can be a screening method for endometrial cancer in obese patients.

Keywords

• Endometrial cancer
• lipocalin
• ultrasonography
• visceral fat