Metabolic Reprogramming in Prostate Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target

Nalongo Bina K.

Faculty of Medicine Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among men worldwide. Despite advancements in detection and treatment, resistance to conventional therapies and disease recurrence remain significant challenges. Emerging evidence highlights the pivotal role of metabolic reprogramming in prostate cancer progression. Cancer cells adapt their metabolism to meet increased energy demands, support rapid proliferation, and survive in hostile environments. These alterations include enhanced glycolysis (Warburg effect), lipid metabolism, and dysregulation of mitochondrial function, all of which contribute to PCa progression and therapy resistance. Understanding the unique metabolic pathways employed by prostate cancer cells provides an opportunity for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Targeting metabolic pathways could disrupt the energy supply and biosynthetic precursors critical for cancer cell survival. This review explores the key aspects of metabolic reprogramming in prostate cancer, including glycolytic shifts, lipid metabolism alterations, and mitochondrial dynamics, and discusses potential therapeutic approaches targeting these metabolic pathways.

Keywords: Prostate cancer, metabolic reprogramming, Warburg effect, lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, therapeutic targeting

CITE AS: Nalongo Bina K. (2024). Metabolic Reprogramming in Prostate Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target. INOSR Experimental Sciences 13(3):15-19. https://doi.org/10.59298/INOSRES/2024/1331519.000