Volume II: Metabolic reprogramming in cancer

This Research Topic is a Volume II of the Research Topic "Metabolic reprogramming in cancer." With this new volume, we aim to continue the work initiated in the first collection and further advance research in the field of cancer metabolism and tumor adaptation. By building upon the insights and developments from Volume I, our objective is to continue research advances that could shape the future of cancer therapies.

Technological advancements over the past few decades have unraveled the diversity and adaptability of tumors, shedding light on key genetic aberrations and metabolic pathways that support tumor growth. Specifically, cancer cells alter their metabolic pathways to fulfill the augmented energy and building block requirements while managing oxidative stress crucial for their proliferation and survival. The flux through these metabolic pathways, underlying of cancer metabolic plasticity, is controlled by cancer driver mutations and environmental nutrient availability.

The tumor microenvironment (TME), often deficient in specific nutrients, compels cancer cells to adapt by inducing mechanisms to scavenge nutrients and sustain their proliferation. Moreover, it is increasingly recognized that the metabolism of non-cancerous cell types within the TME, such as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells, can influence tumor progression. Specifically, metabolic reprogramming is also essential for maintaining self and body homeostasis of various types of immune cells. Recent studies have highlighted that immune cells undergo metabolic reprogramming during proliferation, differentiation, and execution of effector functions, which are crucial for regulating the antitumor immune response. This impact is achieved by the release of metabolites and its effects on the expression of immune molecules such as PGE2 and lactate. Considering that metastases are a significant cause of cancer-related deaths, ongoing efforts focus on comprehending how metabolism is employed by metastatic cells. Furthermore, there is a newfound interest in utilizing cancer genetic analysis to stratify patients and design dietary interventions along with metabolism-targeting therapies.

In this Research Topic, we highlight these key themes currently being investigated in the context of tumor metabolism, with a specific emphasis on novel therapeutic approaches that could act on key enzymes and signaling molecules involved in cancer metabolism, thus halting the increased bioenergetic and biosynthetic demands of cancer cells. Additionally, targeting specific metabolites that promote tumorigenesis may provide an innovative approach to inhibit cancer progression. As our understanding of cancer metabolism deepens, the development of these targeted therapies holds great potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, offering new hope for improving the clinical outcome of cancer patients.



We aim to receive Original Research, Review, Mini-review, and Perspective articles reviewing/discussing the state of art and/or proposing novel insights in basic and translational research focused on any aspects of cancer rewiring.

Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by experimental validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.