Obesity is a new risk factor, to which more and more research is devoted, related to the development of cancer. Many studies of recent years have drawn attention to the role of adipose tissue as an important internal endocrine organ. In the adipose tissue proteins are produced, referred to by the common name as adipokines. In the case of obesity, the neoplasm cells are constantly stimulated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, among which leptin dominates. The studies show that leptin can affect the cancer cells through numerous phenomena, e.g. inflammation, cell proliferation, suppression of apoptosis and angiogenesis. In this literature review we examined the role of leptin in the development of the individual cancers: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and brain neoplasms: glioma and meningioma. However, leptin has very complicated mechanisms of action which require better understanding in certain types of cancer.

LncRNAs have arisen as new players in the world of non-coding RNA. Disrupted expression of these molecules can be tightly linked to the onset, promotion and progression of cancer. The present study estimated the usefulness of 14 lncRNAs (HAGLR, ADAMTS9-AS2, LINC00261, MCM3AP-AS1, TP53TG1, C14orf132, LINC00968, LINC00312, TP73-AS1, LOC344887, LINC00673, SOX2-OT, AFAP1-AS1, LOC730101) for early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The total RNA was isolated from paired fresh-frozen cancerous and noncancerous lung tissue from 92 NSCLC patients diagnosed with either adenocarcinoma (LUAD) or lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). The expression level of lncRNAs was evaluated by a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Based on Ct and delta Ct values, logistic regression and gradient boosting decision tree classifiers were built. The latter is a novel, advanced machine learning algorithm with great potential in medical science. The established predictive models showed that a set of 14 lncRNAs accurately discriminates cancerous from noncancerous lung tissues (AUC value of 0.98 ± 0.01) and NSCLC subtypes (AUC value of 0.84 ± 0.09), although the expression of a few molecules was statistically insignificant (SOX2-OT, AFAP1-AS1 and LOC730101 for tumor vs. normal tissue; and TP53TG1, C14orf132, LINC00968 and LOC730101 for LUAD vs. LUSC). However for subtypes discrimination, the simplified logistic regression model based on the four variables (delta Ct AFAP1-AS1, Ct SOX2-OT, Ct LINC00261, and delta Ct LINC00673) had even stronger diagnostic potential than the original one (AUC value of 0.88 ± 0.07). Our results demonstrate that the 14 lncRNA signature can be an auxiliary tool to endorse and complement the histological diagnosis of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the most common endocrine disrupting chemicals, is a carbon-based synthetic compound used in the production of water bottles, cans, food packaging, dental materials, medical equipment, thermal paper, toys and articles for children. Bisphenol A has been associated with serious health effects in humans. It elicits several disorders and plays a role in the pathogenesis of several tumors such as breast, ovarian, prostate and colorectal cancer. The aim of the research is to review the latest literature assessing participation of BPA in the process of neoplasia. There is not much research on this subject and the role of BPA in the carcinogenesis is still not understood. The present review summarizes the current knowledge of the role of BPA in carcinogenesis. Streszczenie Bisfenol A (BPA) jest jednym z najczęściej występujących organicznych związków chemicznych, które zaburzają gospodarkę hormonalną. Stosowany jest w produkcji tworzyw sztucznych, plastikowych butelek, puszek, opakowań do żywności, materiałów dentystycznych, sprzętu medycznego, papieru termicznego, zabawek i artykułów dla dzieci. Bisfenol A powoduje poważne skutki dla zdrowia ludzi. Wywołuje zaburzenia zdrowotne i odgrywa ważną rolę w patogenezie wielu nowotworów, takich jak rak sutka, jajnika, gruczołu krokowego, jelita grubego. Celem badań jest przegląd najnowszego piśmiennictwa dotyczącego udziału bisfenolu A w procesie nowotworzenia. Do tej pory nie przeprowadzono wystarczającej liczby takich badań, a rola bisfenolu A w procesie kancerogenezy wciąż nie została zrozumiana. W niniejszym przeglądzie podsumowano aktualną wiedzę na temat roli bisfenolu A w kancerogenezie.