Pediatric posterior fossa ependymoma and metabolism: A narrative review

Abstract

Ependymomas are a lethal central nervous system (CNS) tumor found in both adults and children. Recent efforts have focused on risk stratification by classifying the molecular variants of CNS ependymoma. Despite this increased knowledge of molecular drivers, much less is known about the metabolism of these subgroups. Disruption of cellular metabolism can drive the transition of normal neuronal cells to tumor cells. A shift from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism as the primary energy source is a hallmark of cancer, promoting cancer cell proliferation, and avoidance of cellular apoptotic cues. This review aims to discuss the current knowledge regarding metabolism in ependymoma cells compared to normal brain cells and the implications of metabolic changes with regard to tumorigenesis, the tumor microenvironment, and possible targets for treatment.