Metabolic plasticity and therapeutic opportunity in cancer

Cancer metabolism has re-emerged as a central hallmark of tumor biology, reflecting the dynamic interplay between oncogenic signaling, cellular plasticity, and the tumor microenvironment. Building on foundational discoveries of altered glucose utilization and bioenergetics, recent advances have expanded this framework to encompass a diverse network of metabolic pathways, including lipid remodeling, nucleotide synthesis, redox homeostasis, and mitochondrial dynamics. These processes not only sustain tumor growth but also actively shape cancer cell fate, therapeutic response, and interactions with immune and stromal compartments.