Cancer metabolism: The Warburg effect today

One of the first studies on the energy metabolism of a tumour was carried out, in 1922, in the laboratory of Otto Warburg. He established that cancer cells exhibited a specific metabolic pattern, characterized by a shift from respiration to fermentation, which has been later named the Warburg effect. Considerable work has been done since then, deepening our understanding of the process, with consequences for diagnosis and therapy. This review presents facts and perspectives on the Warburg effect for the 21st century.

Research highlights
► Warburg first established a tumour metabolic pattern in the 1920s.
► Tumours' increased glucose uptake has been studied since then.
► Cancer bioenergetics' study provides insights in all its hallmarks.
► New cancer diagnostic and therapeutic techniques focus on cancer metabolism.