Application value of leptin combined with adiponectin in differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma

Objective To explore the value of leptin and adiponectin in the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma.

Methods A total of 140 patients with colorectal cancer were selected as colorectal cancer group, and 168 patients with colorectal adenoma were selected as colorectal adenoma group. Another 170 healthy people were selected as control group. Serum leptin and adiponectin were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between serum leptin and adiponectin in patients with colorectal cancer and patients with colorectal adenoma. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the independent risk factors of colorectal cancer. Values of serum leptin, adiponectin and their combination in the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results The serum leptin levels in the control group, the colorectal adenoma group and the colorectal cancer group were (1.52±0.46), (2.31±0.75) and (4.56±1.36) ng/mL respectively, which showed a gradual and significant increasing trend (P < 0.05); the serum adiponectin levels in the control group, the colorectal adenoma group and the colorectal cancer group were (18.83±5.24), (15.36±4.11) and (11.28±3.16) μg/mL respectively, which showed a gradual and significant decreasing trend (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a negative correlation between serum leptin and adiponectin in colorectal adenoma patients and colorectal cancer patients (r=-0.493, -0.537, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that high level of leptin and low level of adiponectin were the independent risk factors for colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of leptin combined with adiponectin in the differential diagnosis of colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma was 0.905, the sensitivity was 90.00%, and the specificity was 82.70%.

Conclusion There are differences in the serum levels of leptin and adiponectin in patients with colorectal cancer and patients with colorectal adenoma, and the detections of leptin, adiponectin and their combination show certain clinical value in colorectal cancer screening.