Fig. 1.

Summary of the metabolic pathways altered in cancer that are described in this review: enhanced aerobic glycolysis, increased flux to the PPP, increased glutaminolysis, and de novo lipogenesis and cholesterogenesis. These pathways support rapid proliferation and metastasis. In addition, cancer cells present an increased metabolic plasticity interconnecting pathways to adapt to the changing tumor microenvironment; lipolysis, lipophagy, and FAO contribute to provide energy and to face oxidative stress. GLUD1, glutamate dehydrogenase; GOT1, aspartate aminotransferase; MDH1, malate dehydrogenase 1; PDH, pyruvate dehydrogenase; α-KG, α-ketoglutarate; Asp, aspartate; Glc, glucose, Glu, glutamate; Gln, glutamine; G6P, glucose-6-phosphate; F6P, fructose-6-phosphate; F1,6P, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate; Mal, malate; 3PG, 3-phosphoglycerate; ETC, electron transporter chain; ASCT, neutral amino acid transporter; GLUT, glucose transporter; MCT, monocarboxylate transporter; aa, amino acids; N, nucleotides; VLCFA, very long chain FAs. (Blue lines, catabolic pathways; orange lines, anabolic pathways; purple lines, redox homeostasis).