Cancer Metabolism: From Molecules to Medicine

Harvard Medical School's Mini-Med School program welcomes attendees to learn about science and health issues from expert faculty. The program aims to educate and engage the public in the latest research and medical breakthroughs, fostering a deeper understanding of complex topics.

Cancer remains a leading cause of death globally, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. Research focuses on understanding how cancer metabolism differs from normal cell metabolism to develop effective treatments that target the disease's spread.

The lecture draws an analogy between traditional fuels and the metabolic fuels used by our bodies. Foods are broken down into metabolites, which cells process for energy and building blocks. Cancer metabolism explores how these processes are altered in tumor cells.

Key questions in cancer metabolism include understanding how tumor cells differ from normal cells in fuel metabolism, how they integrate growth signals and nutrient metabolism, and how they communicate metabolically with their environment. The ultimate goal is to exploit metabolic vulnerabilities for improved patient care.

Cells use various fuels like sugars, fatty acids, and amino acids to generate energy (ATP) and building blocks for macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids). Cancer cells upregulate fuel usage to support unchecked proliferation, making these processes potential therapeutic targets.

Tumors exhibit a dynamic competition for fuels with surrounding healthy cells. Identifying the precise molecular pathways tumors use to exploit metabolic fuel preferences can lead to targeted therapies that minimize side effects and improve patient outcomes.