Low adiponectin levels are associated with renal cell carcinoma: A case‐control study

• Published in: International journal of cancer Vol. 120; no. 7; pp. 1573 - 1578
• Main Authors: Spyridopoulos, Themistoklis N., Petridou, Eleni Th, Skalkidou, Alkistis, Dessypris, Nick, Chrousos, George P., Mantzoros, Christos S., the Obesity and Cancer Oncology Group
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.04.2007; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Adiponectin; Adiponectin - blood; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Carcinoma, Papillary - blood; Carcinoma, Papillary - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - blood; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - epidemiology; Case-Control Studies; Female; Humans; Intra-abdominal obesity; Kidney Neoplasms - blood; Kidney Neoplasms - epidemiology; Kidneys; Male; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Odds Ratio; Renal cell carcinoma; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Tumors; Tumors of the urinary system; Greece; Europe; Kidney disease; Human; Obesity; Nephrology; intra-abdominal obesity; Urinary system disease; Carcinoma; Nutrition disorder; Malignant tumor; Case control study; Epidemiology; Urology; Abdomen; Adiponectin; renal cell carcinoma; Cancerology; Kidney cancer; Risk factor; Grawitz tumor; Public health; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.22526

Adiponectin is a novel endogenous insulin sensitizer, secreted by mature adipocytes. Circulating levels of adiponectin are inversely associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Because obesity is a risk factor for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we hypothesized that low adiponectin levels are associated with RCC. To evaluate this hypothesis, we conducted a case‐ control study of 70 patients with histologically confirmed RCC and 280 healthy controls matched by gender, age and county of residence. Study subjects were interviewed and blood samples were collected during a 32‐month period in Athens, Greece. Serum adiponectin levels were statistically, significantly and inversely associated with RCC when compared with controls (OR = 0.76, p = 0.05) and this association remained practically unchanged after controlling for BMI; the introduction of waist to hip ratio along with adiponectin in the multiple logistic regression analysis model rendered the association between adiponectin and RCC risk insignificant, indicating that altered levels of adiponectin may mediate the effect of central or intra‐abdominal obesity on RCC. Prospective studies as well as studies exploring underlying mechanisms are needed to fully explore the role of adiponectin in predicting future risk of RCC in humans. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.