ADIPOQ and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Earlier experimental studies suggested that adiponectin played a protective role in carcinogenesis via insulin sensitization, antiproliferation, anti-inflammation, and angiogenesis regulation (Barb et al., 2007) and data supported epidemiologic evidence that adiponectin levels were inversely associated with the risk of obesity-related malignancies, such as breast, colorectal, endometrium, and prostate cancers (Barb et al., 2007).