# Administrative Supplement:Effect of adiposity changes on endometrial tissue and blood biomarkers in women at increased risk for endometrial cancer

> **NIH NIH K01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $34,615

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
In the United States (U.S.), endometrial cancer (EC) incidence is increasing among women of all
racial subgroups; however, black women are experiencing the most dramatic increases. It is well
known that obesity increases EC risk more so than any other cancer. As the prevalence of obesity
continues to rise, the burden of EC will also grow, underscoring the need for effective primary
prevention strategies. Evidence on the reversibility of EC risk through weight loss is emerging. To
effectively intervene to reduce EC risk, we must identify the biological mechanisms that underlie
associations between weight loss and lower EC risk. The primary goals of this proposal are to
examine how changes in body composition following weight loss impact inflammatory biomarkers
in biopsy-collected endometrial tissue and serum and whether these processes differ between
black and white women. Inflammation is linked with excess adiposity and associated with higher
risk of developing EC. The applicant will conduct a pilot cohort study enrolling 40 black and 40
white women medically cleared and scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery and 20 black and 20
white women enrolled in a non-surgical weight loss program (controls). At baseline, we will assess
EC risk factors with a questionnaire, measure body composition using dual x-ray absorptiometry
(DXA), conduct endometrial tissue biopsies and blood draws for biomarker characterizations, and
assess endometrial hyperplasia (EH), an EC precursor lesion, using a pathology review (Aim 1).
Six months after the surgical or non-surgical weight loss intervention, we will measure body
composition and inflammation in tissue and serum to assess changes following weight loss (Aim
2), and we will explore racial differences in baseline and time-dependent relationships (Aim 3).
Findings from this K01 application will increase our understanding of the effect of excess adiposity
on inflammation and cancer initiation within the local endometrial environment and provide higher
resolution data on adiposity through use of DXA as compared with previous studies that only use
body mass index. Further, this study will add novel data on racial differences in these processes
and generate new hypotheses regarding EC prevention.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10102563
- **Project number:** 3K01CA218457-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ashley S. Felix
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $34,615
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10102563

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10102563, Administrative Supplement:Effect of adiposity changes on endometrial tissue and blood biomarkers in women at increased risk for endometrial cancer (3K01CA218457-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10102563. Licensed CC0.

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