Metabolites and cancer metastasis.

Over the past decades, metastasis research has largely emphasized genetic and epigenetic regulators. Emerging evidence indicates that metabolites-including sugars (glucose, fructose), antioxidant vitamins, glutathione, lipids (palmitic acid, cholesterol), and amino acids (glutamine, aspartate, BCAAs)-can critically influence metastasis in a context-dependent manner by driving or restraining progression via metabolic reprogramming and signaling modulation. This review examines how cancer cells re-modulate core metabolic pathways to adapt and metastasize, summarizes how endogenous metabolites, dietary bioactive compounds, metabolic toxins, and pharmacological agents regulate metastasis, and discusses new concepts and perspectives on metabolic regulation of tumor metastasis, and outlines future directions in metabolite-driven tumor metastasis. The metabolic dependencies of metastasis provide a rational basis for intervention through integrated nutritional and therapeutic strategies.