Viola Mechírová, Marek Pytliak, Viola Vargová
Obesity is a common condition, particularly in the economically developed countries. Excess bodyweight is the sixth most important risk factor contributing to the overall burden of total morbidity worldwide. Current epidemiologic trends in obesity suggest that the steady rise in life expectancy during the past two centuries may soon come to an end. In a 40-year-old obese person the average life expectancy is already diminished by 7 years. Epidemiological studies have suggested that obesity is associated with increased risk of several cancer types including colon, oesophagus, breast (in postmenopausal women), endometrium, kidney, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. Because of its extreme chronicity and co-association with numerous other conditions true causality and underlying mechanisms are difficult to study. However, adipokines represent one of molecular mechanisms whereby obesity exerts its effects on tumour biology, by exposure of cells to circulating adipokines.