Fig. 3: Metabolic patterns against bioenergetic stress in progressive HNC.

Increased aerobic glycolysis or Warburg effect is a characteristic pattern of metabolism in cancers including HNC. However, due to metabolic stress, EMT changes, or certain drug treatments, cancer cells undergo metabolic rewiring where oxidative phosphorylation is favored instead of glycolysis. Specific actions and their consequences are highlighted in red. Additionally, possible connections between signaling pathways in cancer and cancer metabolism are suggested as shown. Numbers indicate relevant references in the text