title: Leptin influences cellular differentiation and progression in prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies have shown a positive association of dietary fat with prostate cancer. Leptin, a peptide hormone that has a role in the regulation of body weight, currently serves as a more accurate biomarker for total body fat. We designed a study to determine whether leptin influences cellular differentiation and the progression of prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study we investigated serum leptin in 21 patients with prostate cancer, 50 with benign prostatic obstruction and 50 healthy individuals matched for sex, body mass index and age. Patients with cancer were stratified into 2 groups by the disease spread, including groups 1--organ confined and 2--advanced disease, and into 3 groups by the differentiation degree, including groups 3--Gleason sum 2 to 4 or well differentiated, 4--Gleason sum 5 to 7 or moderately differentiated and 5--Gleason sum 8 to 10 or poorly differentiated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We noted significant differences in serum leptin in the cancer versus control and cancer versus benign prostatic obstruction groups. In addition, in the prostate cancer group serum leptin correlated with prostate specific antigen and biopsy Gleason score. We also observed significant differences in serum leptin in groups 1 versus 2, 3 versus 5 and 4 versus 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Leptin may have roles in the development of prostate cancer through testosterone and factors related to obesity. It influences cellular differentiation and the progression of prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Gülhane University, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saglam
authors.forename: Emin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aydur
authors.forename: Milker
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Göktaş
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000502:physiology; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone