Metabolomics study reveals another energy source for cancer cells

October 20, 2016

By NCI Staff

Researchers have discovered another way that cancer cells may produce the energy they need to survive and grow.

Using new metabolomics technologies, the researchers found that cancer cells can use the compound lactate to fuel biochemical reactions and to generate other compounds needed for cell growth, such as lipids to build new cellular membranes. Metabolomics is the science of measuring small molecules, such as glucose, amino acids, and cholesterol, within a biological sample.