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Libri Oncologici : Croatian Journal of Oncology, Vol. 53 No. 1, 2025.

Review article

https://doi.org/10.20471/LO.2025.53.01.02

Brain cancer metabolism

Lana Manojlović orcid id orcid.org/0009-0001-3173-4248 ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Martina Periša orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-6854-5080 ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Orešković ; Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Marina Raguž orcid id orcid.org/0000-0001-9203-7254 ; Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, and School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Darko Chudy ; Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia and Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Tonko Marinović orcid id orcid.org/0009-0006-5513-6994 ; Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

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Abstract

Malignant brain tumors represent a serious health issue concerning both children and adults, and are often difficult to manage. Tumor metabolism has recently emerged as a promising target for new cancer treatment. Malignant brain tumors strongly depend on glycolysis for energy, predominantly using glucose and glutamine, whereas healthy brain cells primarily utilize ketone bodies under reduced glucose supply. As a metabolic disorder involving the dysregulation of glycolysis and cellular respiration, there is hope that brain cancer could be at least partially managed through changes in the metabolic environment. The objective of this review is to examine the metabolic changes in brain tumors and to summarize the latest knowledge of certain metabolic processes in tumorigenesis, as well as the associated potential therapeutic approaches.

Keywords

: brain tumors; cancer metabolism; metabolic pathways; metabolic therapy

Hrčak ID:

334405

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/334405

Publication date:

21.8.2025.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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