Accumulating epidemiological evidence indicates a strong clinical
association between obesity and an increased risk of cancer. The
global pandemic of obesity indicates a public health trend towards
a substantial increase in cancer incidence and mortality. However,
the mechanisms that link obesity to cancer remain incompletely
understood. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has been
increasingly used to model an expanding spectrum of human
diseases. Fly models provide a genetically simpler system that is
ideal for use as a first step towards dissecting disease interactions.
Recently, the combining of fly models of diet-induced obesity with
models of cancer has provided a novel model system in which to
study the biological mechanisms that underlie the connections
between obesity and cancer. In this Review, I summarize recent
advances, made using Drosophila, in our understanding of the
interplay between diet, obesity, insulin resistance and cancer. I also
discuss how the biological mechanisms and therapeutic targets that
have been identified in fly studies could be utilized to develop
preventative interventions and treatment strategies for obesityassociated
cancers.