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Cell metabolism is characterised by the highly coordinated conversion of nutrients into energy and biomass. In solid cancers, hypoxia, nutrient deficiencies, and tumour vasculature are incompatible with accelerated anabolic growth and require a rewiring of cancer cell metabolism. Driver gene mutations direct malignant cells away from oxidation to maximise energy production and biosynthesis while tumour-secreted factors degrade peripheral tissues to fuel disease progression and initiate metastasis. As it is vital to understand cancer cell metabolism and survival mechanisms, this review discusses the metabolic switch and current drug targets and clinical trials. In the future, metabolic markers may be included when phenotyping individual tumours to improve the therapeutic opportunities for personalised therapy. • Cancer cells switch metabolism away from oxidation, even in the presence of oxygen. • The metabolic switch maximises the production of energy and biomass. • Tumour secreted factors break down peripheral tissues to fuel disease progression. • Metabolic modulators and nutritional guidance will be part of anticancer therapies. • An array of potential cancer-specific metabolic targets has emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]