Abstract
Objectives
Adipokines are currently the subject of numerous intensive studies due to their multidirectional effects in the formation and development of many cancers, including ovarian cancer. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to analyse the concentration of new adipokines, including asprosin, follistatin-like protein 1, isthmin-1, meteorin and neuregulin-4 in serum and peritoneal fluid of patients with serous ovarian cancer and to determine whether there is a relationship between the concentration of the studied parameters and the degree of histological differentiation of the cancer.Material and methods
The study group consisted of 32 patients diagnosed with serous carcinoma of the ovary (Cystadenocarcinoma papillare serosum IIIc). The reference group consisted of 16 patients diagnosed with benign neoplasm (Cystadenoma serosum). Concentration of asprosin, follistatin-like protein 1, isthmin-1, meteorin and neuregulin-4 were determined using ELISA immunoenzymatic assay.Results
Significant fluctuations in the concentrations of the measured markers were observed in the serum and peritoneal fluid of patients with ovarian cancer and the existence of an association of the concentrations of some of them with the degree of histological differentiation of the tumour.Conclusions
The occurring systemic and local changes in the immune system involving the tested adipokines indicate the potential involvement of these markers in ovarian cancer pathogenesis, serving as key immune mechanisms that drive tumor progression and modulate the associated inflammatory response. Determination of the concentration of the adipokines studied, in combination with other markers, could prove valuable for developing future diagnostic and treatment approaches in ovarian cancer care, though additional studies are required.