Four epidemiological studies on adiponectin in relation to cancer have been undertaken among adults and all four have pointed to inverse associations of the hormone with breast cancer (Miyoshi et al 2003; Mantzoros et al 2004b) and endometrial cancer (Petridou et al, 2003; Dal Maso et al, 2004), notably with the postmenopausal forms of the two diseases. The gene discussed is ADIPOQ; the disease is breast carcinoma.