The depletion of aconitate decarboxylase 1 (ACOD1) has been shown to reduce the levels of the immune metabolite itaconate, while simultaneously driving macrophages to polarize strongly and persistently towards a pro-inflammatory state, demonstrating an enhanced tumour-inhibiting ability and thereby improving ovarian cancer (OC) survival (Wang X. et al., 2023). Here, ACOD1 is linked to ovarian cancer.