There is one feature common to most types of cancer - profound changes in their cellular metabolism that accommodate the high requirements for fast growth and cell division. This change brings about many advantages to the transformed cell and it is also indispensable for its survival and proliferation. This review describes the differences in metabolism between normal and cancerous cells and outlines strategies that could exploit these differences as tools for oncological treatment. and Věra Slaninová, Alena Krejčí.