The Warburg Effect describes the observation that cancer cells preferentially consume glucose and produce lactate even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, a process known as aerobic glycolysis. This phenomenon is closely tied to changes in catalytic activity within the cell. Enzymes such as pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are often altered in cancer cells to promote this metabolic shift. By exploiting these catalytic changes, cancer cells can generate ATP rapidly and produce metabolic intermediates needed for cell growth.
