Targeting Lung Cancer Metabolism: Therapeutic Opportunities and Challenges.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in both men and women. Although conventional chemotherapy has been the backbone of treatment, it often fails to provide long-term survival benefits for most patients. In recent years, advances in the understanding of molecular and genetic alterations in lung cancer have led to the identification of distinct subtypes and the development of targeted therapies. However, these therapies benefit only a limited group of patients with specific driver mutations. Similarly, immunotherapy has brought new hope, yet access and efficacy remain variable across the patient population. As the field evolves, there is growing recognition that cancer metabolism plays a crucial role in tumor progression, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy. This chapter will examine the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in lung cancer cells, including alterations in glycolysis, glutaminolysis, and lipid metabolism, within the context of the tumor microenvironment. It will also examine how these changes impact current treatments and highlight emerging therapeutic strategies targeting cancer metabolism.