Regulating Lipid Metabolism in Cancer: The Therapeutic Potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Lipid metabolic reprogramming is a key feature of tumor cells to adapt to the microenvironment and plays an important role in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. This article provides a systematic review of the pathological mechanisms underlying lipid metabolism disorders in tumor cells, including abnormalities in fatty acid (FA) and cholesterol metabolism and their association with tumor progression. Furthermore, it summarizes the mechanisms by which traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its natural active compounds regulate lipid metabolism through multiple targets and pathways, such as inhibiting FA uptake and synthesis and modulating cholesterol metabolism. Existing studies have demonstrated that targeted regulation of lipid metabolism by TCM offers a novel strategy for antitumor therapy. This approach holds the potential to reduce toxicity and enhance efficacy, providing new insights into the treatment of metabolic disorder-related tumors.