Abstract

Adiponectin is a hormone-like cytokine (or adipokine) predominantly secreted from fat cells. Adiponectin has anti-inflammatory properties and inversely correlates with body fat mass, including visceral adiposity. This cytokine is present in different isoforms and may mediate its biological functions mainly through AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 receptors. It is thought that adiponectin has been associated with the pathological processes of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In our review of PubMed literature, we found interesting data regarding the effect of adiponectin levels on many types of cancer. Several studies have observed a protective role of adiponectin in some types of cancer. In endometrial, colon, kidney, postmenopausal breast cancer, and leukemia, there appears to be an inverse relationship between adiponectin levels and cancer. Understanding adiponectin’s biological connection with other hormones (e.g., insulin, insulin-like growth factors, leptin), as well as its modulation in pre-neoplastic states and malignancy to exploit its beneficial effects, could reveal potential new strategies for the management of certain types of cancer.