Metabolomic Profiling in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Summary
Metabolomic profiling has emerged as a powerful approach to characterise the small-molecule complement of cells, tissues and body fluids in gastrointestinal malignancies. By capturing dynamic changes in metabolites, this discipline links genetic and environmental influences on tumour biology. In gastric, oesophageal and colorectal cancers, distinct metabolic programmes support rapid proliferation, resistance to therapy and metastatic spread. Key alterations include elevated glycolysis (the “Warburg effect”), enhanced glutamine utilisation, dysregulated lipid and phospholipid synthesis, and perturbations in nucleotide salvage pathways. Advances in analytical platforms—particularly liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance—enable both untargeted discovery and targeted quantification of metabolites. Integration of metabolomic data with transcriptomics and proteomics refines our understanding of regulatory networks, identifies early diagnostic biomarkers and stratifies patients for personalised interventions. Ultimately, metabolomic insights promise to improve early detection, monitor treatment response and reveal novel vulnerabilities for therapeutic exploitation.
Research from Nature Portfolio
A recent targeted metabolomics study of plasma samples spanning non-active gastritis through precursor lesions to gastric adenocarcinoma quantified over 200 metabolites using a high-throughput kit and complementary LC-MS methods. Significant disruptions were observed in tryptophan breakdown and nitrogen metabolism, with histidine, tryptophan and phenylacetylglutamine levels distinguishing cancer patients from non-cancer cohorts. Pathway analysis highlighted the tryptophan–kynurenine axis as a potential source of immunomodulatory metabolites. The identified metabolite panel demonstrated robust discrimination of disease stages, opening avenues for minimally invasive surveillance of high-risk patients and early detection of gastric cancer progression.
Metabolomic Profiling in Gastrointestinal Cancer publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in metabolomic profiling in gastrointestinal cancer across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Metabolomic profiling: Comprehensive analysis of small-molecule metabolites within cells, tissues or biofluids to characterise metabolic states.
Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS): Analytical method combining chromatographic separation with mass-based detection and quantification of metabolites.
Targeted metabolomics: Quantitative measurement of a predefined panel of metabolites using authentic standards for precise biomarker validation.
Untargeted metabolomics: Global, hypothesis-free detection of as many metabolites as possible to discover unexpected changes.
Glycolysis: Cytosolic pathway converting glucose to pyruvate with net ATP production, frequently upregulated in cancer cells.
Purine salvage pathway: Recycling mechanism that converts free purine bases into nucleotides, supporting DNA synthesis in proliferating tumours.
Lipid metabolism reprogramming: Altered synthesis, uptake and breakdown of lipids in cancer cells to fuel membrane biogenesis and signal transduction.
References
- Plasma sample based analysis of gastric cancer progression using targeted metabolomics. Scientific Reports (2017).
- Purine salvage–associated metabolites as biomarkers for early diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a diagnostic model–based study. Cell Death Discovery (2024).
- MicroRNA miR-1275 coordinately regulates AEA/LPA signals via targeting FAAH in lipid metabolism reprogramming of gastric cancer. Cell Death & Disease (2023).
- The emerging role of glycolysis and immune evasion in gastric cancer. Cancer Cell International (2023).
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