Tumor glycolysis as a target for cancer therapy: progress and prospects

Altered energy metabolism is a biochemical fingerprint of cancer cells that represents one of the "hallmarks of cancer". This metabolic phenotype is characterized by preferential dependence on glycolysis (the process of conversion of glucose into pyruvate followed by lactate production) for energy production in an oxygen-independent manner. Although glycolysis is less efficient than oxidative phosphorylation in the net yield of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), cancer cells adapt to this mathematical disadvantage by increased glucose up-take, which in turn facilitates a higher rate of glycolysis. Apart from providing cellular energy, the metabolic intermediates of glycolysis also play a pivotal role in…