Glioblastoma Metabolism: Insights and Therapeutic Strategies

Abstract

Tumor metabolism is emerging as a potential target for cancer therapies. This new approach holds particular promise for the treatment of glioblastoma, a highly lethal brain tumor that is resistant to conventional treatments, for which improving therapeutic strategies is a major challenge. The presence of glioma stem cells is a critical factor in therapy resistance, thus making it essential to eliminate these cells for the long-term survival of cancer patients. Recent advancements in our understanding of cancer metabolism have shown that glioblastoma metabolism is highly heterogeneous, and that cancer stem cells exhibit specific metabolic traits that support their unique functionality. The objective of this review is to examine the metabolic changes in glioblastoma and investigate the role of specific metabolic processes in tumorigenesis, as well as associated therapeutic approaches, with a particular focus on glioma stem cell populations.