Synopsis

Keywords: Cross-organ: Cancer

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer that supports malignant growth and transformation. Tumor metabolism is influenced by both cancer cell intrinsic and extrinsic factors, necessitating the need to assess cancer cell metabolism in disease-relevant environments. Here, we discuss the use of stable isotope tracing to investigate tumor metabolism in both patients and preclinical models.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of malignant transformation and cancer cell growth. How tumors use nutrients and the activity of reprogrammed pathways are areas of active investigation. Tumor metabolism is determined by a combination of factors intrinsic and extrinsic to cancer cells, highlighting the value of assessing cancer metabolism in disease-relevant microenvironments, including in patients with cancer. This session will highlight the use of stable isotope tracing- an informative, versatile method to probe tumor metabolism in vivo. Combined with pre-clinical imaging, stable isotope infusions in patients have revealed that tumors use a diverse set of nutrients to supply central metabolic pathways including the tricarboxylic acid cycle and amino acid synthesis. Emerging data suggest that some metabolic activities correlate with poor clinical outcomes and may drive cancer progression.

Acknowledgements

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References

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