The metabolic complexity and flexibility commonly observed in brain tumors, especially glioblastoma, is fundamental for their development and progression. The ability of tumor cells to modify their genetic landscape and adapt metabolically, subverts therapeutic efficacy, and inevitably instigates therapeutic resistance. To overcome these challenges and develop effective therapeutic strategies targeting essential metabolic processes, it is necessary to identify the mechanisms underlying heterogeneity and define metabolic preferences and liabilities of malignant cells. In this review, we will discuss metabolic diversity in brain cancer and highlight the role of cancer stem cells in regulating metabolic heterogeneity. We will also highlight potential therapeutic modalities targeting metabolic vulnerabilities and examine how intercellular metabolic signaling can shape the tumor microenvironment.

在脑肿瘤，尤其是胶质母细胞瘤中常见的代谢复杂性和灵活性是其发展和进展的基础。肿瘤细胞改变其遗传景观和代谢适应的能力，颠覆了治疗效果，并不可避免地引发了治疗耐药性。为了克服这些挑战并开发针对基本代谢过程的有效治疗策略，有必要确定异质性的潜在机制并定义恶性细胞的代谢偏好和倾向。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论脑癌的代谢多样性，并强调癌症干细胞在调节代谢异质性中的作用。