TNF and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Chronic inflammation, also associated with obesity, has also been linked to breast cancer risk and prognosis.15 Obesity is associated with subclinical inflammation in human breast white adipose tissue.16 Preclinical data demonstrate that higher levels or genetic alterations in inflammatory biomarkers such as TNFα and IL-2 are associated with increased breast cancer risk, and cohort studies have demonstrated that inflammatory biomarkers such as c-reactive protein and IL-6 are associated poor prognosis in early-stage breast cancer.15, 17