# Metabolism in Tumour-Induced Bone Disease

**Authors:** Renee T. Ormsby, Claire M. Edwards

PMC · DOI: 10.1007/s11914-026-00956-3 · 2026-02-16

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how cancer cells in bone metastases change their metabolism to survive and grow in the bone environment.

## Contribution

The paper provides an updated overview of metabolic adaptations in bone metastatic cancers and their therapeutic implications.

## Key findings

- Cancer cells in bone metastases switch between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation to adapt to hypoxia.
- These cancer cells exploit neighboring bone cells for energy and protection from chemotherapy.
- Targeting these metabolic changes could improve treatments for tumour-induced bone disease.

## Abstract

This review highlights recent studies that investigate the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in specific types of bone metastatic cancers, including different types of breast cancer, prostate cancer and multiple myeloma.

Metastatic cancer cells use altered metabolic pathways to adapt in alternate environments. Cancer cells that home towards the bone are able to manipulate their metabolism to survive in the hypoxic microenvironment, shifting between oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, whilst also exploiting neighbouring cells within the bone to provide energy and protect against chemotherapies.

Targeting the altered metabolic pathways in cancer cells could be used to improve treatments, reduce tumour burden and prevent the destruction of the bone that occurs in tumour-induced bone disease.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** breast cancer (MONDO:0004989), prostate cancer (MONDO:0005159), multiple myeloma (MONDO:0009693)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** TNFSF11 (TNF superfamily member 11) [NCBI Gene 8600] {aka CD254, ODF, OPGL, OPTB2, RANKL, TNLG6B}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, SLC16A3 (solute carrier family 16 member 3) [NCBI Gene 9123] {aka MCT 3, MCT 4, MCT-3, MCT-4, MCT3, MCT4}, CSF1 (colony stimulating factor 1) [NCBI Gene 1435] {aka CSF-1, MCSF, PG-M-CSF}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 10135] {aka 1110035O14Rik, PBEF, PBEF1, VF, VISFATIN}, Lrp8 (low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 8, apolipoprotein e receptor) [NCBI Gene 16975] {aka 4932703M08Rik, ApoER2, Lr8b}, G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) [NCBI Gene 2539] {aka CNSHA1, G6PD1}, CXCL12 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12) [NCBI Gene 6387] {aka IRH, PBSF, SCYB12, SDF1, TLSF, TPAR1}, CXCL2 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 2920] {aka CINC-2a, GRO2, GROb, MGSA-b, MIP-2a, MIP2}, ESR1 (estrogen receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 2099] {aka ER, ESR, ESRA, ESTRR, Era, NR3A1}, CMA1 (chymase 1) [NCBI Gene 1215] {aka CYH, MCT1, chymase}, GPX4 (glutathione peroxidase 4) [NCBI Gene 2879] {aka GPx-4, GSHPx-4, MCSP, PHGPx, SMDS, snGPx}, CXCR4 (C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4) [NCBI Gene 7852] {aka CD184, D2S201E, FB22, HM89, HSY3RR, LCR1}, CCL2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 6347] {aka GDCF-2, HC11, HSMCR30, MCAF, MCP-1, MCP1}, PTHLH (parathyroid hormone like hormone) [NCBI Gene 5744] {aka BDE2, HHM, PLP, PTHR, PTHRP}, AR (androgen receptor) [NCBI Gene 367] {aka AIS, AR8, DHTR, HPCX3, HUMARA, HYSP1}, EREG (epiregulin) [NCBI Gene 2069] {aka EPR, ER, Ep}, ATHS (atherosclerosis susceptibility (lipoprotein associated)) [NCBI Gene 470] {aka ALP}, IBSP (integrin binding sialoprotein) [NCBI Gene 3381] {aka BNSP, BSP, BSP II, BSP-II, SP-II}, FABP4 (fatty acid binding protein 4) [NCBI Gene 2167] {aka A-FABP, AFABP, ALBP, HEL-S-104, aP2}, Parp1 (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase family, member 1) [NCBI Gene 11545] {aka 5830444G22Rik, ARTD1, Adprp, Adprt1, PARP, PPOL}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, RUNX2 (RUNX family transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 860] {aka AML3, CBF-alpha-1, CBFA1, CCD, CCD1, CLCD}, IL11 (interleukin 11) [NCBI Gene 3589] {aka AGIF, IL-11}, VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor A) [NCBI Gene 7422] {aka L-VEGF, MVCD1, VEGF, VPF}, ADIPOQ (adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing) [NCBI Gene 9370] {aka ACDC, ACRP30, ADIPQTL1, ADPN, APM-1, APM1}, CXCL8 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8) [NCBI Gene 3576] {aka GCP-1, GCP1, IL8, LECT, LUCT, LYNAP}, BMP2 (bone morphogenetic protein 2) [NCBI Gene 650] {aka BDA2, BMP2A, SSFSC, SSFSC1}
- **Diseases:** osteolysis (MESH:D010014), Bone Disease (MESH:D001847), bone metastases (MESH:D009362), destruction (MESH:D008105), prostate (MESH:D011472), BCa (MESH:D001943), aggressive (MESH:D010554), lung cancers (MESH:D008175), Myeloma (MESH:D009101), Osteoclast Cancer (MESH:D009369), calcifications (MESH:D002114), , lung and (MESH:D008171), ARPC (MESH:D011471), melanoma (MESH:D008545), bone metastatic cancers (MESH:D001859), fracture (MESH:D050723), pain (MESH:D010146), triple (MESH:C536008), osteolytic and osteoblastic lesions (MESH:D030981), hypoxia (MESH:D000860), hypoxic (MESH:D002534)
- **Chemicals:** dexamethasone (MESH:D003907), amino acids (MESH:D000596), NADP+ (MESH:D009249), serine (MESH:D012694), fatty acids (MESH:D005227), superoxide (MESH:D013481), BMAds (-), cisplatin (MESH:D002945), proton (MESH:D011522), 6-aminonicotinamide (MESH:D015120), bisphosphonate (MESH:D004164), glucose (MESH:D005947), 6-AN (MESH:C050850), calcium (MESH:D002118), ROS (MESH:D017382), glycerides (MESH:D005989), ATP (MESH:D000255), glutamine (MESH:D005973), rotenone (MESH:D012402), citrate (MESH:D019343), glutathione (MESH:D005978), Lipid (MESH:D008055), olaparib (MESH:C531550), lactate (MESH:D019344), pentose phosphate (MESH:D010428), TCA (MESH:D014233), zinc (MESH:D015032), oxygen (MESH:D010100), fulvestrant (MESH:D000077267), syrosingopine (MESH:C084824), Cholesterol (MESH:D002784), nicotinamide (MESH:D009536), zoledronate (MESH:D000077211), testosterone (MESH:D013739), free fatty acids (MESH:D005230)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090]
- **Cell lines:** MDA-MB-231 — Homo sapiens (Human), Breast adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0062), LNCaP — Homo sapiens (Human), Prostate carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0395), PC3 — Homo sapiens (Human), Prostate carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0035), BCa — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_WC51)

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12907268