title: Study of serum leptin in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma: correlation with patient and tumor characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a proven relationship between obesity and several cancers including breast, endometrium, colorectal, and esophagus. With the increasing incidence of both obesity and thyroid cancer, we designed the present study to investigate a causal relationship between leptin, which is one of the well known adipokines, and well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum leptin levels were measured in 30 patients with WDTC and compared to 30 healthy control subjects before and 1 month after surgery. Other parameters studied included age, sex, body mass index, menopausal status in women, lymph node status, tumor size, and disease multifocality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences between the two groups regarding age and sex. Preoperative leptin levels were higher in the WDTC patients when compared to the control patients [19.25 (1.50-109.60) vs 0.90 (0.50-11.80) ng/ml, p < 0.001, group 1 vs group 2, respectively]. A significant drop in leptin levels 1 month after surgery occurred in the WDTC group, falling from 19.25 (1.50-109.60) to 0.90 (0.60-8.90) ng/ml (p < 0.001). This did not occur in the control group (p = 0.274). Lymph node involvement, tumor size, and multifocality had no effect on leptin levels, although trends were observed (p = 0.48, 0.079, and 0.064), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum leptin levels were significantly higher in WDTC patients when compared to control group patients, with a significant drop after surgery. Leptin may play a role in diagnosis of WDTC; however, its prognostic value is still undetermined.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rania Abdel
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rehem
authors.forename: Waleed Abo
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Elwafa
authors.forename: Reham Abo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Elwafa
authors.forename: Tarek Ezzat
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Abdel-Aziz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin