Dear colleagues,

Metabolic alterations in cancer have been systematically linked to tumor progression, with metabolism being acknowledged as an important regulator of several biological processes. Defining the functional role of specific metabolites as signaling molecules, biosintetic intermediates, and co-factor is a key aspect to understand the functional role of metabolism in tumor biology.

Importantly, metabolic dysregulation affects not only the cancer cell itself but inflences as well the surrounging tumor microenvironment, and, ultimately, the host.

To this aim, metabolic dysfunctions are also present on a systemic level during cancer growth, contributing to cancer cachexia and muscle and fat tissue loss.

Cachexia is a life-threatening condition occurring in the majority of cancers. It is considered a marker of unfavorable prognosis, as it interferes with radio- and chemotherapy and directly accounts for at least 20% of cancer-associated deaths.

Hence, local and systemic metabolic alterations are important therapeutic targets for the treatment of both cancer and cachexia. The objective of this Special Issue is to provide new insight into the mechanisms controlling metabolic dysfunction in cancer progression and cachexia that can allow a deeper understanding of the pathology, as well as the advance of therapeutic approaches that can be utilized to contrast it.

We invite investigators to contribute with original research articles and review articles that will stimulate the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms underlying the relevance of metabolic reprogramming in the onset and progression of cancer cachexia.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

• Cancer-induced metabolic reprogramming in cachexia target tissues such as muscle, heart, adipose tissue;
• Role of metabolite as signaling molecules, controlling cancer growth and cachexia;
• Mitochondrial alterations (e.g., in fission-fusion-mitophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, ETC) in cancer and tissues affected by cancer cachexia, such as skeletal and cardiac muscle, adipose tissue, liver;
• Oxidative stress;
• Chemio/radiotherapy and metabolism;
• Effects of physical exercise on cachexia and cancer therapy;
• Alterations of host microbiota in cachexia and its effects on target tissues;
• Calorie restriction/dietary intervention effects on cachexia;
• Hormonal control of tissue wasting in cancer;
• MicroRNAs affecting metabolism in cancer cachexia.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Paolo Porporato
Assist. Prof. Dr. Nicoletta Filigheddu
Guest Editors

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• Cancer cachexia
• Cancer metabolism
• Therapy-induced dysfunction
• Oxidative stress
• Mitochondrial alterations
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Diet
• Metabolic and endocrine dysfunction