Multi-modal imaging of metabolic pathways in head & neck cancer

Oxygenated tumor cells are metabolically flexible and able modify their means of ATP production according to available fuels, while hypoxic cells, through the action of the transcription factor Hif-1α, have reduced mitochondrial oxidative capacity and rely upon the glycolytic pathway for energy production. As a result, hypoxic tumor regions are expected to have greater glucose uptake than oxygenated regions. Download this poster to learn about whether Hif-1α increases glucose consumption in head and neck cancer.