In the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases, leptin has been characterised together with adiponectin and resistin.32, 36 In an ovarian cancer study, pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐6 and TNF‐α were reported to induce an acute‐phase protein response that contributed to altered energy metabolism, which regulated leptin levels.29 In another cohort of lung cancer patients,37 the research team found significant positive associations among plasma levels of TNF‐α, IL‐1 and CRF. This evidence concerns the gene RETN and ovarian cancer.