The present study provides a detailed characterization of HCT-116, MCF-7, UM-UC-3 and HeLa spheroid cultures with respect to a number of parameters that are critical for screening and designing cancer targeting glyco-PS, including glucose metabolism, oxidative stress during spheroids formation, and related variations in galectin-1 and GLUT1 proteins. The gene discussed is SLC2A1; the disease is cancer.