Adipocytokines and breast cancer

A substantial number of studies have revealed that a growing list of cancers might be influenced by obesity. In this regard, one of the most prominent and well-characterized cancers is breast cancer, the leading cause of cancer death among women. Obesity is associated with an increased risk for the occurrence and development of breast cancer particular in postmenopausal women. Moreover, the relationship between adiposity and breast cancer risk is complex, with associations that differ depending on when body size is assessed (eg, premenopausal vs postmenopausal obesity) and when breast cancer is diagnosed (ie, premenopausal vs postmenopausal disease). Obesity is mainly due to excessive fat accumulation in the regional tissue. Adipocytes in obese individuals produce endocrine, inflammatory, and angiogenic factors to affect adjacent breast cancer cells. Adipocytokines, are biologically active polypeptides that are produced either exclusively or substantially by adipocytes, play a critical and complex role, and act by endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine pathways in the malignant progression of breast cancer. Furthermore, the increased levels of leptin, resistin, and decreased adiponectin secretion are directly associated with breast cancer development. And there are also many studies indicating that adipocytokines could mediate the survival, growth, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer cells by different cellular and molecular mechanisms to reduce the survival time and prompt the malignancy. In present review, we discuss the correlations between several adipocytokines and breast cancer cells in obesity as well as the underlying signaling pathways to provide the novel ideas for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.