Regulation of lipid metabolism in breast cancer provides diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities

During malignant transformation, the lipid metabolism of cells changes radically and therefore alterations in lipid metabolism are a prominent feature of solid tumors. Lipid metabolism has been investigated at the gene and protein expression levels for several decades, but recent advances in lipidomics technology have also enabled the investigation of pathways at the level of molecular lipids. This review provides an overview of the changes of global lipid metabolism (i.e., fatty acid, phospholipid, eicosanoid and sphingolipid metabolism) in breast cancer, and discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of these pathways.