Monitoring cancer prognosis, diagnosis and treatment efficacy using metabolomics and lipidomics.
BACKGROUND
Cellular metabolism is altered during cancer initiation and progression, which allows cancer cells to increase anabolic synthesis, avoid apoptosis and adapt to low nutrient and oxygen availability. The metabolic nature of cancer enables patient cancer status to be monitored by metabolomics and lipidomics. Additionally, monitoring metabolic status of patients or biological models can be used to greater understand the action of anticancer therapeutics.


OBJECTIVE
Discuss how metabolomics and lipidomics can be used to (i) identify metabolic biomarkers of cancer and (ii) understand the mechanism-of-action of anticancer therapies. Discuss considerations that can maximize the clinical value of metabolic cancer biomarkers including case-control, prognostic and longitudinal study designs.


METHODS
A literature search of the current relevant primary research was performed.


RESULTS
Metabolomics and lipidomics can identify metabolic signatures that associate with cancer diagnosis, prognosis and disease progression. Discriminatory metabolites were most commonly linked to lipid or energy metabolism. Case-control studies outnumbered prognostic and longitudinal approaches. Prognostic studies were able to correlate metabolic features with future cancer risk, whereas longitudinal studies were most effective for studying cancer progression. Metabolomics and lipidomics can help to understand the mechanism-of-action of anticancer therapeutics and mechanisms of drug resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Metabolomics and lipidomics can be used to identify biomarkers associated with cancer and to better understand anticancer therapies.
Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Campus Monteprincipe, Boadilla del Monte, 28668 Madrid, Spain ; Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA UK ; Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH UK.
Emily G
EG
Armitage
School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK.
Andrew D
0000-0003-3030-7663
AD
Southam
Drug redeployment; Leukemia; Mass spectrometry; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Nutraceutical; Stratified medicine