Influence of RNA Modifications on Cancer Metabolism: Interplay with Hypoxia and Therapeutic Implications

Metabolic reprogramming is a well-established hallmark of cancer, with tumors often altering glucose and lipid metabolism to fuel their rapid growth and survival. Hypoxia, a common feature of the tumor microenvironment, exacerbates these metabolic shifts by the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which drive the Warburg effect, enhancing tumor aggressiveness. Recent research has unveiled a critical link between hypoxia and epitranscriptomic modifications, particularly m6A methylation, which further influences cancer metabolism and progression. This review explores the complex relationship between hypoxia-induced epitranscriptomic alterations and cancer metabolic reprogramming, focusing on m6A RNA methylation. By exploring how these mechanisms interact to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism, we highlight potential therapeutic targets that could be exploited to disrupt the metabolic dependencies of tumors and improve treatment outcomes for hypoxia-induced malignancies.