Functional effect of adiponectin and body composition assessment in lung cancer subjects after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy.

Background: Lung cancer is a pathology with an important incidence. It is a multifactorial disease characterized by epigenetic and nutritional factors. Indeed, there is a strong association between adipose tissue and the pulmonary system, and low-grade inflammation of obese and/or overweight subjects have a pivotal role in lung cancer establishment.

Methods: In this study, we analyzed body composition through bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and biochemical parameters such as glycemic and lipidic profile, inflammation profile and adiponectin serum levels in 30 patients (19 male; 11 women) undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for lung cancer from September 2021 to May 2022 at the Thoracic Unit of Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples. A control group were also recruited (15 male; 15 female) consisting of age and sex matched volunteered subjects at the Thoracic Unit of Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples. The control group and lung cancer patients were monitored for anthropometric and biochemical parameters before VATS lobectomy. Furthermore, the lung cancer patients were also monitored after 6 months of surgery.

Results: Body composition is modified after surgery and also albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels. In the overweight patients in our study, adiponectin levels were found to be reduced compared with the control group and increased in the same patients after VATS lobectomy.

Conclusions: Tumor removal as well as weight loss could affect adiponectin levels, and thus also a reduction in inflammation. In addition, weight loss could also be due to a psychological condition given by the intervention and not to malnutrition related to therapy.