Impact of serum leptin and adiponectin levels on breast cancer in postmenopausal Iraqi women: an observational Study

Background:  Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor and the second most significant cause of death for women in Iraq, behind cardiovascular diseases. Obesity has been linked to a substantial increase in the risk of breast cancer. Adipose tissue functions as an endocrine gland, controlling the body's metabolism by secreting adipokines, which play a significant role in metabolism and inflammatory reactions. Methods: Overall, 90 postmenopausal women participated in this research. Of these, 60 patients with breast cancer were recruited at Baghdad's Oncology Teaching Hospital between October 2021 and February 2022: 30 were obese with a body mass index (BMI) of > 30 kg/m2 (group 1), and 30 were not obese (group 2). The third group consisted of 30 participants without breast cancer or obesity (group 3). Each person donated five milliliters of venous blood. The blood levels of adiponectin and leptin are determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Results: Control individuals who were not obese (group 3) had greater blood adiponectin levels than patients with cancer who were both obese and non-obese (groups 1 and 2), with no significant difference in serum adiponectin levels seen between groups 1 and 2. The findings also showed that group 1 (patients with breast cancer and obesity) had greater serum leptin levels than both group 2 (patients with breast cancer without obesity) and the control group (group 3), with no significant difference in serum leptin levels between groups 2 and 3. Conclusions: Adiponectin levels in the blood of women with breast cancer and obesity were low which may be due to high BMI, which reduces adiponectin's protective effects. Conversely, Leptin levels were more significant in the blood of women with breast cancer and obesity than in the control group, which may be due to its pro-inflammatory effects in obesity, among other variables.