Author(s)

Robert L. Elliott, Jonathan F. Head

Elliott-Barnett-Head Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Center, Baton Rouge, USA.

Over the last 30 years there have been numerous worldwide investigators involved in cancer research. Billions of dollars have been spent on drug development and cancer research; however, with all of the new agents and modalities of treatment, we have honestly not significantly improved the overall survival of the Stage IV cancer patient. There is and will not be a magic bullet treatment, thus the extensive title of this paper. We are convinced that unless we use multiple innovative therapies in combination with conventional treatment, we will never truly defeat this disease. We have attempted to address this problem by presenting in detail some of these complex mechanisms involved in tumorigenesis, progression, escape, and metastasis. Most investigators have their own special area of interest, but if we are to conquer this scourge, we must develop an extensive, multifaceted, comprehensive approach. Hopefully this article will contribute to awareness and further insight into this very serious and complicated problem, so we can improve quality of life and improve the survival of the Stage IV cancer patient.

Tumor Iron Metabolism; Mitochondrial Iron Metabolism; Mitochondrial Dysfunction; Tumor Immunosuppression; Hypoxia Inducible Factor; Pseudohypoxia

R. Elliott and J. Head, "Cancer: Tumor Iron Metabolism, Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Tumor Immunosuppression; “A Tight Partnership—Was Warburg Correct?”," Journal of Cancer Therapy, Vol. 3 No. 4, 2012, pp. 278-311. doi: 10.4236/jct.2012.34039.