What Other Metabolic Pathways Are Affected in Cancer?
Beyond glycolysis, several other metabolic pathways are altered in cancer cells. The pentose phosphate pathway is often upregulated to produce NADPH and ribose-5-phosphate, essential for nucleotide and fatty acid synthesis. The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, although less relied upon for ATP production, is reprogrammed to supply biosynthetic precursors. Glutaminolysis is another critical pathway, where glutamine is used as a carbon and nitrogen source to support anabolic processes.
