[Frontiers in Bioscience 16, 1634-1650, January 1, 2011]

Associations between adipokines and obesity-related cancer

Gilberto Paz-Filho1, Ee Lyn Lim2, Ma-Li Wong1, Julio Licinio1

1Department of Translational Medicine, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Garran Rd, building 131, Canberra, Australia, 2Trinity College, University of Oxford, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH, United Kingdom

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Obesity and cancer: epidemiological evidence
4. Adipokines - an overview
5. Leptin 5.1. Prostate cancer 5.2. Breast cancer
5.3. Colorectal cancer
5.4. Thyroid cancer
5.5. Renal cancer
5.6. Endometrial cancer
5.7. Pancreatic cancer
5.8. Oesophageal adenocarcinoma
6. Adiponectin
6.1. Prostate cancer
6.2. Breast cancer
6.3. Colorectal cancer
6.4. Thyroid cancer
6.5. Renal cancer
6.6. Endometrial cancer
6.7. Pancreatic cancer
6.8. Oesophageal adenocarcinoma
7. Perspectives
8. Acknowledgements
9. References

1. ABSTRACT

There is increasing evidence that obesity may have pathophysiological effects that extend beyond its well-known co-morbidities; in particular its role in cancer has received considerable epidemiological support. As adipose tissue becomes strongly established as an endocrine organ, two of its most abundant and most investigated adipokines, leptin and adiponectin, are also taken beyond their traditional roles in energy homeostasis, and are implicated as mediators of the effects of obesity on cancer development. This review examines these adipokines in relation to the prostate, breast, colorectal,