Emerging Approaches for Targeting Metabolic Vulnerabilities in Malignant Glioma.

ABSTRACT

Malignant gliomas are intractable and among the most lethal human malignancies. Like other cancers, metabolic reprogramming is a key feature of glioma and is thought to accommodate the heightened nutrient requirements for tumor cell proliferation, growth, and survival. This metabolic rewiring, driven by oncogenic signaling and molded by the unique environment of the brain, may impose vulnerabilities that could be exploited therapeutically for increased tumor control. In this review, we discuss the prominent metabolic features of malignant glioma, the key pathways regulating glioma metabolism, and the potential therapeutic opportunities for targeting metabolic processes.