Moses O. Akiibinu, Bob O. Soile, Ajibola M. U Amzat and Olatunji T. Kolawole
Background: In obesity, modulation of metabolic pathways plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The present study therefore tried to link obesity, metabolic stress and tumor by evaluating the levels of tumor markers and cortisol (a stress-induced hormone) in obesity.
Materials: Thirty-three obese (18 males, 15 females, body mass index=34 ± 3.8 Kg/m2) and 37 apparently nonobese (19 males, 18 females, body mass index=22 ± 1.4 Kg/m2) individuals (controls) volunteered to participate in this study. All participants were not on drugs (i.e. alcohol, cigarette or steroids) and were healthy adults without apparent medical problems. Every participant had his/her body weight and height taken, and the body mass index (BMI) calculated before inclusion in the study. Plasma levels of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and cortisol were determined in these subjects using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay methods.
Results: In the obese subjects, plasma values of CA125 and cortisol increased significantly (p<0.05), when compared with controls. But the plasma levels of CEA and AFP did not show significant (p>0.05) changes in the obese when compared with controls Conclusion: Metabolic changes could account for the increased rate of synthesis of cortisol and CA125 in obesity.