title: Obesity and melanoma: could fat be fueling malignancy?
abstract: Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that adipose tissue, and particularly adipocytes, contributes to tumor progression. Obesity, an ever-increasing worldwide phenomenon, exacerbates this effect. The influence of obesity on melanoma remains poorly studied, although recent data do underline an association between the two diseases in both humans and murine models. Herein, we review the impact of obesity on melanoma incidence and progression and discuss the underlying mechanisms known to be involved. Adipose tissue favors the proliferation and aggressiveness of melanoma cells through a direct dialog, mediated by soluble factors and by exosomes, and through remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. This knowledge could, in the future, help to design new personalized therapeutic options for obese melanoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Ikrame
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Toulouse Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1006-0168
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nieto
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: adipocyte; adipose tissue; cancer; melanoma; obesity; tumor microenvironment