A Review on Cancer Cell Metabolism of Fats: Insights into Altered Lipid Homeostasis

The dysregulation of fat metabolism is a key characteristic of cancer cells, contributing to their survival, growth, and metastatic potential. Mutations in genes involved in fat metabolism pathways have been identified within cancer cells, impacting lipogenesis, lipid uptake, transport, lipolysis, and lipid droplet dynamics. These mutations result in altered lipid homeostasis, providing cancer cells with a continuous supply of energy substrates, signalling molecules, and building blocks for cellular processes. Targeting these mutated fat metabolism genes and pathways holds promise as a therapeutic strategy, with inhibitors of key enzymes like fatty acid synthase (FASN) showing encouraging results in early clinical trials. Challenges remain in translating these findings into personalized therapies, considering the heterogeneity of mutations across cancer types and the complex interplay between mutated fat metabolism genes and other oncogenic signalling pathways. Future research efforts aim to uncover novel therapeutic approaches that exploit the altered fat metabolism in cancer cells to improve treatment outcomes and patient prognosis.