Amino acid metabolism in breast cancer: pathogenic drivers and therapeutic opportunities

Amino acid metabolism plays a critical role in the progression and development of breast cancer. Cancer cells, including those in breast cancer, reprogram amino acid metabolism to meet the demands of rapid proliferation, survival, and immune evasion. This includes alterations in the uptake and utilization of amino acids, such as glutamine, serine, glycine, and arginine, which provide essential building blocks for biosynthesis, energy production, and redox homeostasis. Notably, the metabolic phenotypes of breast cancer cells vary across molecular subtypes and disease stages, emphasizing the need for patient stratification and personalized therapeutic strategies. Advances in multi-level diagnostics, including phenotyping and predictive tools, such as AI-based analysis and body fluid profiling, have highlighted the potential for tailoring treatments to individual metabolic profiles. Enzymes, such as glutaminase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase, often upregulated in breast cancer, represent promising therapeutic targets. Understanding the interplay between amino acid metabolism and breast cancer biology, alongside the integration of personalized medicine approaches, can uncover novel insights into tumor progression and guide the development of precision therapies. This review explores the metabolic pathways of amino acids in breast cancer, with a focus on their implications for personalized treatment strategies.