Riding the metal wave: A review of the latest developments in metal-based anticancer agents

Metal-based complexes have demonstrated significant anticancer effects and have emerged as candidates with great potential for cancer therapy. These agents are effective in a variety of cancers, including those resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. The use of some metal-based agents in cancer therapy is based on their ability to interact with DNA and other biomolecules, resulting in cell death. In this review, several important metal complexes such as platinum, ruthenium, gold, copper and iron are explained as promising anticancer agents, and an overview of their multiple functions, such as DNA binding and damage, inhibition of enzymes and proteins, generation of ROS, as well as their mechanisms of action is given. Recent advances in cancer therapy using metal complexes are then discussed. Some complexes are presented because of their unique properties as theranostics for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The synergistic effects of metal complexes in combination with other treatments such as immunotherapy, gene therapy, hyperthermia, and photodynamic therapy are explained. Targeted cancer therapy using metal complexes is offered as a favorable strategy to improve the efficacy and selectivity of cancer treatment. Finally, the advantages, limitations, and challenges of cancer therapy with metal complexes are discussed.