Associations of Serum Isoflavone, Adiponectin and Insulin Levels with Risk for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Results of a Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the association of serum isoflavones, adiponectin, and insulin levels with ovarian cancer risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We gathered cases with histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer at Sapporo Medical University Hospital from October 2010 to September 2012. Potential controls were recruited from female inpatients without any history of cancer or diabetes mellitus in different wards of the same hospital over the same period of time. Serum isoflavones, adiponectin, and insulin levels were measured in order to estimate associations with ovarian cancer risk in a case-control study. Data from 71 cases and 80 controls were analyzed with a logistic regression model adjusting for known risk factors. RESULTS: A significant reduction in ovarian cancer risk was observed for the high tertile of serum daidzein level versus the low (Ptrend<0.001). A significant reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also observed for the high tertile of serum glycitein level versus the low (Ptrend=0.005). Furthermore, a significant reduction in ovarian cancer risk was observed for the high tertile of serum adiponectin level versus the low (Ptrend=0.004). Conversely, serum insulin level showed significantly elevated risk for ovarian cancer with the high tertile versus the low Ptrend<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased serum isoflavones levels, such as those for daidzein and glycitein, decreased serum adiponectin levels, and increased serum insulin levels could be shown to be associated with elevated risk of ovarian cancer.

Relationship of serum isoflavone, insulin and adiponectin levels with breast cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the well-known risk factors of breast cancer. Accumulating evidence suggests that adiponectin, an obesity-related hormone, is inversely associated with breast cancer risk, particularly in postmenopausal women. Obesity is also associated with high levels of insulin. In addition, studies have suggested that the soy isoflavones present in the traditional Japanese diet have been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer. However, there is no study that has assessed associations between serum levels of isoflavones, insulin, adiponectin and the risk of breast cancer all together with menopausal status. METHODS: In a case-control study of 63 histologically confirmed breast cancer patients and 76 controls, serum isoflavone, insulin, and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin levels and breast cancer risk were examined for their association with breast cancer risk after adjustment for various risk factors. RESULTS: Women in the highest tertile of serum HMW adiponectin levels were associated with a statistically significant decreased risk for breast cancer compared with women in the lowest tertile [odds ratio (OR), 0.09; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.33]. This association was observed in postmenopausal women (OR 0.06; 95 % CI 0.01-0.28), but not in premenopausal women. The observed associations were independent of possible effects of insulin, body mass index, and known risk factors for breast cancer. Serum isoflavones and insulin levels were not associated with breast cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that high serum HMW adiponectin levels are significantly associated with a decreased risk for breast cancer. Our result support the hypothesis that serum adiponectin may act as a potential biomarker for breast cancer.

Relation of serum adiponectin levels and obesity with breast cancer: a Japanese case-control study.

BACKGROUND: It is known that obesity is one of the risk factors for breast cancer although the association may differ between ethnic groups and with the menopausal status. Recently obesity-related risk factors including serum adiponectin and insulin levels have been analyzed together with BMI in association with breast cancer risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We measured serum high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and insulin levels in a hospital based case-control study, including 66 sets of Japanese female breast cancer cases and age and menopausal status matched controls. Serum levels of HMW adiponectin, insulin levels and body mass index (BMI) were examined in association with breast cancer risk with adjustment for the various known risk factors by menopausal status. RESULTS: Women in the highest HMW adiponectin levels showed significant reduced risk of breast cancer in both pre and postmenopausal women (odds ratio (OR), 0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.00-0.26 and 0.13; 0.03-0.57, respectively). Lower BMI showed decreased breast cancer risk in both pre and postmenopausal women (OR, 0.04; 95% CI, 0.00-0.69, OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.07-1.11, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that higher serum HMW adiponectin levels and lower BMI are associated with a decreased breast cancer risk in both pre and postmenopausal women in Japan, adding evidence for the obesity link.

Lymph node shape in computed tomography imaging as a predictor for axillary lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether preoperative computed tomography (CT) is a useful modality for the diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis. The axillary lymph node status was examined in patients with primary breast cancer who had undergone surgery. In total, 75 patients were analyzed with preoperative contrast CT images, following which the patients underwent an intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy to determine possible predictors of axillary lymph node metastasis. The lymph node shape was classified into three groups, which included fat-, clear-and obscure-types. Multivariate analysis revealed that clear-type lymph nodes in preoperative contrast CT imaging may be an independent predictor of lymph node metastasis (odds ratio, 15; P=0.003). Therefore, the results indicated that preoperative CT examination is useful to predict axillary lymph node metastasis.

Equol, adiponectin, insulin levels and risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and the leading cause of cancer death among women. Soy isoflavones have been widely studied and among all isoflavones equol has been gaining interest with regard to its relationship with breast cancer risk. Obesity has been revealed as one of the breast cancer risk factors, known to be associated with high levels of circulating insulin and decreased levels of adiponectin. Hence there have been many studies investigating relationships between insulin and adiponectin levels and breast cancer risk. Additionally recent findings have suggested that insulin and adiponectin themselves may have influence on breast cancer development, independent of obesity. In the present review, we discuss the relationships between breast cancer risk and equol, insulin and adiponectin levels, which are three important factors in our ongoing hospital-based case-control study. Herein these factors are reviewed not only from the clinical viewpoint but also from possible chemical and biological points of view which may explain clinical observations.

Adiponectin: an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease in men in the Framingham offspring Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine whether plasma adiponectin levels were an independent predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plasma adiponectin levels were measured in 3188 male and female participants from cycle 6 of the Framingham offspring Study (mean age: 57 years in both men and women; BMI: 28.5 kg/m(2) in men and 27.3 kg/m(2) in women), using a novel fully automated assay. Plasma adiponectin levels (median [25th percentile, 75th percentile]) were significantly higher in female than in male CHD-free subjects (14.8 [10.7,20.5] µg/ml versus 9.0 [7.0,12.2] µg/ml, p<0.001). Participants were followed for a mean of 7.5 years. After adjustment for age, BMI, smoking status, systolic blood pressure, treatment for hypertension, diabetes, use of cholesterol-lowering medication, total cholesterol level, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and C-reactive protein levels, a higher plasma adiponectin level was a significant predictor of lower risk of future CHD events (n=117) in men (HR 0.49, p<0.0022). A similar trend was observed in women, but was no longer significant after multivariate adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that plasma adiponectin levels are an independent predictor of CHD in Caucasian men initially free of CHD.

Substitution of vegetable oil for a partially-hydrogenated fat favorably alters cardiovascular disease risk factors in moderately hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Compared to vegetable oils in their unmodified state, partially-hydrogenated fat is associated with less favorable effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Acceptable alternatives must be adjudicated. Our objective was to assess the effect of a recent commercial fat substitution, corn oil for partially-hydrogenated soybean oil. METHODS: Using a double-blind cross-over design, 30 postmenopausal women >or=50 years with LDL-cholesterol concentrations >or=120 mg/dL were randomly assigned to each of two 35-day phases; all food and beverage was provided to maintain body weight. Corn or partially-hydrogenated soybean oil was incorporated throughout the diet and contributed two-thirds of fat. Primary outcomes included fasting and non-fasting lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein, and fasting high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations; secondary outcomes included fasting small dense LDL (sdLDL)-cholesterol, remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (RemLC), glycated albumin, adiponectin and immunoreactive insulin concentrations, and endogenous cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and lecithin:cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) activities. RESULTS: Relative to the partially-hydrogenated soybean oil enriched diet, the corn oil enriched diet resulted in lower fasting total cholesterol (7%; P<0.0001), LDL-cholesterol (10%; P<0.0001), VLDL-cholesterol (7%; P=0.052), apo B (9%; P<0.0001), lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] (5%; P=0.024), sdLDL-cholesterol (17%; P=0.001), and RemLC (20%; P=0.007) concentrations, and no significant effect on the other outcomes. Changes in postprandial (4-h post-meal) lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein concentrations were similar to the fasting state. CONCLUSION: The replacement of partially-hydrogenated soybean oil with corn oil favorably affects a range of CVD risk factors and is an appropriate option to decrease cardiovascular disease risk factors in moderately hypercholesterolemic individuals.