Objective:

To elucidate the dynamic interactions of nutrient competition, metabolic crosstalk, and immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of gastric cancer.

Approach:

• Systematic Review: The review integrates diverse metabolic phenotypes and immunological outcomes in gastric cancer through a network perspective.

Key Findings:

• The TME of gastric cancer is characterized by hypoxia, acidosis, and nutrient deficiency, creating metabolic stress.
• Cancer and immune cells compete for essential nutrients, leading to metabolic deprivation in effector T cells.
• Accumulation of immunosuppressive metabolites (e.g., lactic acid, adenosine, kynurenine, and prostaglandin E2) actively suppresses immune function.
• Metabolic crosstalk reshapes the immunosuppressive niche through receptor signaling and epigenetic modification.
• This metabolic reprogramming facilitates immune evasion and resistance to immunotherapy.

Interpretation:

A comprehensive analysis of the metabolic interactions in the TME is essential for understanding the dynamics of gastric cancer.

Limitations:

• The review does not provide experimental data to support the proposed metabolic interactions.
• Further research is needed to validate the identified metabolic nodes and their therapeutic potential.

Conclusion:

The findings highlight the importance of understanding metabolic reprogramming in gastric cancer.