Advances in Cancer Metabolism

A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Endocrinology and Clinical Metabolic Research".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 September 2026 | Viewed by 1799

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Radiation Biology, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Interests: novel metabolomics methods for studying metabolic dysregulation in diseases, metabolism–immune crosstalk, and small-molecule therapies for metabolic disorders
Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
Interests: molecular mechanisms of tumor metabolism
1. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China
2. Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
Interests: tumor immunotherapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Metabolic reprogramming is now recognized as a driver of tumor evolution, immune evasion, and therapy response. Recent technologies map metabolism with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution, revealing metabolic heterogeneity across cancer, stromal, and immune compartments and its consequences for nutrient competition and redox control. Single-cell and spatial metabolomics, as well as in-tissue isotope tracing, are uncovering cell state-specific dependencies. Meanwhile, metabolism-to-epigenome signaling—exemplified by lactate and lactylation—and classic oncometabolites (2-HG, succinate, and fumarate) continue to reshape our view of lineage plasticity and therapeutic resistance.

This Special Issue invites original research, resources, methods, and reviews that (i) define metabolic vulnerabilities and plasticity across tumor ecosystems; (ii) dissect immunometabolic circuits and nutrient competition in the tumor microenvironment; (iii) advance single-cell/spatial metabolomics, in vivo fluxomics, and other cutting-edge approaches toward clinically actionable biomarkers; and (iv) translate mechanisms into therapies (e.g., mitochondria-targeting strategies, lipid and one-carbon metabolism, and rational combinations with immunotherapy or DNA-damage agents). We also welcome clinically oriented studies that benchmark best practices and report translational milestones, such as the emergence of metabolism-targeted drugs (e.g., IDH1/2 inhibitors and HIF-2α inhibition) and their biomarker strategies, to accelerate metabolism-informed diagnostics and treatments.

Dr. Haowen Jiang
Dr. Man Zhao
Dr. Duo Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • cancer metabolism
  • metabolic plasticity
  • tumor microenvironment
  • immunometabolism
  • mitochondrial metabolism
  • oncometabolites
  • metabolic–epigenetic crosstalk
  • single-cell metabolomics
  • spatial metabolomics
  • metabolic flux analysis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

34 pages, 1490 KB  
Review
Obesity and Cancer: From Systemic Metabolic Reprogramming to Immunotherapy Paradox
by Guoxiao Han, Shuyu Yuan and Wangui Yu
Metabolites 2026, 16(3), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo16030174 - 6 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1371
Abstract
With the global rise in overweight and obesity, excess adiposity has emerged as a modifiable carcinogenic exposure. Beyond energy surplus, obesity establishes a durable pro-tumorigenic baseline through endocrine–metabolic rewiring, chronic low-grade inflammation, and structural/mechanical remodeling of tissues, thereby shaping organ-specific microenvironments that favor [...] Read more.
With the global rise in overweight and obesity, excess adiposity has emerged as a modifiable carcinogenic exposure. Beyond energy surplus, obesity establishes a durable pro-tumorigenic baseline through endocrine–metabolic rewiring, chronic low-grade inflammation, and structural/mechanical remodeling of tissues, thereby shaping organ-specific microenvironments that favor malignant transformation and progression. This review integrates systemic metabolic and endocrine alterations with tumor microenvironmental physical barriers, immune reprogramming, and neuroimmune regulation to explain heterogeneity in cancer risk, progression, and treatment response. We propose a stratified assessment framework based on measurable indicators—body composition, inflammatory status, and treatment exposure—to support risk prediction, mechanistic validation, and the design of actionable experimental and clinical strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cancer Metabolism)
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