Cancer-specific metabolism: Promising approaches for colorectal cancer treatment

Abstract

Investigation of cancer-specific metabolism has made it possible to establish the principle that atypically reconstituted metabolism is considered a hallmark of cancer due to changes in physiological property. Recently, a variety of targets depending on the prompted aerobic glycolysis process, starting from the abnormal uptake of glucose, and cancer-specific metabolism due to impaired mitochondrial function and abnormal expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes have been investigated and discovered. Given that most solid cancers rely on cancer-specific metabolism to support their growth, it is necessary to examine closely the specific processes of cancer metabolism and have a detailed understanding of how cellular metabolism is altered in colorectal cancer (CRC) related to CRC survival and proliferation. The development of key methods to regulate efficiently cancer-specific metabolism in CRC is still in the initial stage. Therefore, targeting cancer-specific metabolism will yield treatable methods that are critical as a new area of development strategies for CRC treatment.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Cancer metabolism; Warburg effect; Aerobic glycolysis; Mitochondria metabolism

Core tip: Studies of cancer-specific metabolism have been conducted for over half a century, and the importance of promoting aerobic glycolysis, cancer favorable metabolic changes in mitochondria, and abnormal expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes has been emphasized through the established theories to date. Cancer-specific metabolism is a major theoretical background that can explain the process of survival and proliferation of most solid cancers. Developing cancer-specific metabolism-target drugs provide a novel treatable method that will be critical in this new area of treatment strategies for colorectal cancer. They have not yet been conquered and have infinite growth potential.