Diagnostic role of galanin in distinguishing endometrial atypical hyperplasia and carcinoma from benign endometrial conditions
Endometrial atypical hyperplasia is recognized as a precursor to endometrial cancer, which ranks as the fourth most common cancer in women and is the leading type of gynecological malignancy in high-income countries. The development and progression of endometrial cancer are strongly linked to increased body fat and insulin resistance. Peptides involved in glucose metabolism, such as leptin, chemerin, and galanin, may contribute to carcinogenesis through shared pathways. This study aims to investigate the role of galanin levels in diagnosing endometrial neoplastic disorders. This prospective case-control study included 85 patients, divided into three groups: endometrial cancer, atypical hyperplasia, and a control group. Serum galanin levels were measured using ELISA across all groups. The mean galanin levels were 472.76 ± 44.86 pg/ml in Control Group, 516.81 ± 51.15 pg/ml in EAH, and 543.15 ± 73.22 pg/ml in Cancer Group. Galanin levels were found to be significantly different among groups. (p < .001) . Galanin levels have the potential to differentiate between normal endometrium and patients with endometrial hyperplasia.