Lipid Metabolic Reprogramming and the Tumor Immune Microenvironment: A New Strategy for Early Diagnosis and Cancer Prevention
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Reprogramming of lipid metabolism has emerged as a significant characteristic of malignancy during tumor development. Research indicates a critical link between lipid metabolism and the tumor immune microenvironment. This relationship not only facilitates cancer progression by remodeling the tumor microenvironment but also influences the functionality of immune cells. Alterations in lipid metabolism regulate the function and status of immune cells within the microenvironment, impacting immune evasion and the therapeutic efficacy of tumors. Consequently, targeting lipid metabolism is a viable strategy for intervening in tumorigenesis and tumor development. This review examines the roles of key lipid molecules, such as fatty acids and cholesterol, within the tumor microenvironment, highlighting how aberrant lipid metabolism can alter immune cell function. By investigating the interactions between lipid metabolism and immune cells in this setting, the review offers novel insights into early diagnosis, screening, and immunotherapy of malignant tumors. Furthermore, lipid metabolic reprogramming may act as a biomarker for monitoring early immune escape from tumors and predicting therapeutic outcomes, thereby enhancing early diagnosis and personalized cancer treatment.
Source: Cancer Screening and Prevention
Authors: Xiaoshuang Liu, Lihua Ren, Ruihua Shi
Institutions: Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Southeast University
Language: English
Subfield: Cancer Research
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4409520133