Despite representing phenotypic extremes of adiposity, both cancer cachexia and obesity are disease states associated with adipose inflammation, increases in local and circulating levels of IL-6 family cytokines (e.g. IL-6 and LIF), and elevated adipocyte lipolysis (13, 14, 31, 32). The gene discussed is LIF; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.