Metabolic-stromal hijacking further shapes progression: agmatine stabilizes β-catenin via Rnf128 inhibition, activating Wnt-driven tumorigenesis (88); DCA induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and vasculogenic mimicry through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) signaling (89), while in obesity-associated liver cancer, DCA triggers senescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to secrete tumor-promoting factors (90). Here, KDR is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.