Cancer Metabolism As a Therapeutic Target and Review of Interventions

Overview

Journal Nutrients

Date 2023 Oct 14

PMID 37836529

Authors

Matthew T J Halma

Jack A Tuszynski

Paul E Marik

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Cancer is amenable to low-cost treatments, given that it has a significant metabolic component, which can be affected through diet and lifestyle change at minimal cost. The Warburg hypothesis states that cancer cells have an altered cell metabolism towards anaerobic glycolysis. Given this metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, it is possible to target cancers metabolically by depriving them of glucose. In addition to dietary and lifestyle modifications which work on tumors metabolically, there are a panoply of nutritional supplements and repurposed drugs associated with cancer prevention and better treatment outcomes. These interventions and their evidentiary basis are covered in the latter half of this review to guide future cancer treatment.

Citing Articles

Deciphering the oncogenic network: how C1QTNF1-AS1 modulates osteosarcoma through miR-34a-5p and glycolytic pathways.

Zhang Y, Lun H, Zhu N, Yang N, Ding K, Chen B Front Oncol. 2025; 14():1485605.

PMID: 39850812 PMC: 11754200. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1485605.

RNA modifications in cancer.

Wu H, Chen S, Li X, Li Y, Shi H, Qing Y MedComm (2020). 2025; 6(1):e70042.

PMID: 39802639 PMC: 11718328. DOI: 10.1002/mco2.70042.

DNMT1-driven methylation of RORA facilitates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression under hypoxia through SLC2A3.

Yao W, Shang L, Wang Y, Xu L, Bai Y, Feng M J Transl Med. 2024; 22(1):1167.

PMID: 39741267 PMC: 11686977. DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05960-8.

Pharmacoproteomics reveals energy metabolism pathways as therapeutic targets of ivermectin in ovarian cancer toward 3P medical approaches.

Li Z, Li N, Ndzie Noah M, Shao Q, Zhan X EPMA J. 2024; 15(4):711-737.

PMID: 39635022 PMC: 11612093. DOI: 10.1007/s13167-024-00385-1.

NF-κB signaling pathway in tumor microenvironment.

Cao Y, Yi Y, Han C, Shi B Front Immunol. 2024; 15:1476030.

PMID: 39493763 PMC: 11530992. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1476030.

References

Li X, Liu C, Dong S, Ou C, Lu J, Ye J . Anticarcinogenic potentials of tea catechins. Front Nutr. 2022; 9:1060783. PMC: 9760998. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1060783. View

Mansouri K, Rasoulpoor S, Daneshkhah A, Abolfathi S, Salari N, Mohammadi M . Clinical effects of curcumin in enhancing cancer therapy: A systematic review. BMC Cancer. 2020; 20(1):791. PMC: 7446227. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-020-07256-8. View

CHAPUY M, Preziosi P, Maamer M, Arnaud S, Galan P, Hercberg S . Prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in an adult normal population. Osteoporos Int. 1997; 7(5):439-43. DOI: 10.1007/s001980050030. View

Wang Q, Zhou W . Roles and molecular mechanisms of physical exercise in cancer prevention and treatment. J Sport Health Sci. 2020; 10(2):201-210. PMC: 7987556. DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2020.07.008. View

Zhang P, Li H, Tan X, Chen L, Wang S . Association of metformin use with cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol. 2013; 37(3):207-18. DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2012.12.009. View

Keum N, Lee D, Greenwood D, Manson J, Giovannucci E . Vitamin D supplementation and total cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Ann Oncol. 2019; 30(5):733-743. PMC: 6821324. DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdz059. View

Ali T, Rahman S, Hao Q, Li W, Liu Z, Shah F . Melatonin prevents neuroinflammation and relieves depression by attenuating autophagy impairment through FOXO3a regulation. J Pineal Res. 2020; 69(2):e12667. DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12667. View

Wang W, Dong X, Liu Y, Ni B, Sai N, You L . Itraconazole exerts anti-liver cancer potential through the Wnt, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and ROS pathways. Biomed Pharmacother. 2020; 131:110661. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110661. View

Triscott J, Lee C, Hu K, Fotovati A, Berns R, Pambid M . Disulfiram, a drug widely used to control alcoholism, suppresses the self-renewal of glioblastoma and over-rides resistance to temozolomide. Oncotarget. 2012; 3(10):1112-23. PMC: 3717961. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.604. View

10.

Feldman D, Krishnan A, Swami S, Giovannucci E, Feldman B . The role of vitamin D in reducing cancer risk and progression. Nat Rev Cancer. 2014; 14(5):342-57. DOI: 10.1038/nrc3691. View

11.

Ng K, Meyerhardt J, Wu K, Feskanich D, Hollis B, Giovannucci E . Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels and survival in patients with colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2008; 26(18):2984-91. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2007.15.1027. View

12.

Salve J, Pate S, Debnath K, Langade D . Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. 2020; 11(12):e6466. PMC: 6979308. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.6466. View

13.

Kumar A, Kumari S, Singh D . Insights into the Cellular Interactions and Molecular Mechanisms of Ketogenic Diet for Comprehensive Management of Epilepsy. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2022; 20(11):2034-2049. PMC: 9886834. DOI: 10.2174/1570159X20666220420130109. View

14.

Danley K, Tan A, Catalona W, Leikin R, Helenowski I, Jovanovic B . The association of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors with the biochemical recurrence-free and overall survival of patients with prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy. Urol Oncol. 2021; 40(2):57.e1-57.e7. DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.05.031. View

15.

Magee B, Potezny N, Rofe A, Conyers R . The inhibition of malignant cell growth by ketone bodies. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1979; 57(5):529-39. DOI: 10.1038/icb.1979.54. View

16.

Klement R . Fasting, Fats, and Physics: Combining Ketogenic and Radiation Therapy against Cancer. Complement Med Res. 2017; 25(2):102-113. DOI: 10.1159/000484045. View

17.

Ligibel J, Bohlke K, May A, Clinton S, Demark-Wahnefried W, Gilchrist S . Exercise, Diet, and Weight Management During Cancer Treatment: ASCO Guideline. J Clin Oncol. 2022; 40(22):2491-2507. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.22.00687. View

18.

Fang S, Guo S, Du S, Cao Z, Yang Y, Su X . Efficacy and safety of berberine in preventing recurrence of colorectal adenomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Ethnopharmacol. 2021; 282:114617. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114617. View

19.

Kossoff E, Zupec-Kania B, Amark P, Ballaban-Gil K, Bergqvist A, Blackford R . Optimal clinical management of children receiving the ketogenic diet: recommendations of the International Ketogenic Diet Study Group. Epilepsia. 2008; 50(2):304-17. DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01765.x. View

20.

Vieth R . Why the optimal requirement for Vitamin D3 is probably much higher than what is officially recommended for adults. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2004; 89-90(1-5):575-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2004.03.038. View