Abstract: The breakthrough of immunotherapy in tumor treatment has significantly changed the traditional ideas and methods of cancer therapy. The efficacy of immunotherapy relies on the synergistic effect of various metabolic mechanisms and nutrient sensing mechanisms in the body, which fully stimulate the tumor-killing potential of immune cells by accurately responding to their material needs. However, tumor cells and various immune cells collectively shape a nutrient-deficient, hypoacidic, and hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) through secreting biological signals such as cytokines and metabolites. This immunosuppressive microenvironment can induce metabolic dysfunction of immune cells, leading to impaired anti-tumor immune effects. To adapt to the dynamic changes of TME and meet their own growth needs, immune cells achieve functional transformation of anti-tumor or pro-tumor development through metabolic reprogramming. Therefore, in-depth analysis of the metabolic basis and metabolic heterogeneity of different subtypes of immune cells, together with targeted metabolic regulation, can provide key support for significantly enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. This article systematically reviews the research progress and cutting-edge trends of immune cell metabolism during cancer development, aiming to provide a theoretical basis for the basic research and clinical transformation of metabolic intervention in tumor immunotherapy.