How Does Cancer Metabolism Differ from Normal Cell Metabolism?
Normal cells primarily rely on a process called oxidative phosphorylation to generate energy in the form of ATP, using oxygen to efficiently produce energy from glucose. In contrast, many cancer cells preferentially use aerobic glycolysis, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. Even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, cancer cells convert glucose to lactate, producing less ATP but supporting the biosynthetic needs for rapid growth.
