The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, and is expressed in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, spleen, heart, liver, placenta, lung, and ovary. PPARγ is a critical regulator of inflammation, adipocyte differentiation, glucose homeostasis, and tumorigenesis. The mechanism of PPARγ on tumor suppression is still unclear, but plenty of evidence shows that PPARγ provides new therapeutic targets for cancer. Here we give a review of how PPARγ and its ligands regulate tumorigenesis by different pathways.