Targeting cancer energy metabolism: a potential systemic cure for cancer.

Long-term investigation and extensive efforts using sequencing and -omics analysis identified thousands of mutations in a single tumor. However, we cannot succeed at curing cancer by targeting mutations as the cause of cancer. Therefore, as an alternate therapeutic approach from classical oncology study, stimulation of the inherent ability of the immune system to attack tumor cells was welcome as a new principle in cancer therapy. However, it cannot be a permanent solution for the question of "which is the common factor that can distinguish cancer from normal?" Targeting the cancer energy metabolism may be a cancer-specific therapy for all kinds of cancer because normal cells do not rely on cancer energy metabolism under normal conditions. Here, trends of cancer metabolism as well as a new theory of cancer energy metabolism in the therapeutic approach is summarized.