Platinum-based drugs in cancer treatment: Expanding horizons and overcoming resistance

Platinum-based drugs have maintained their preeminent position in cancer treatment regimens even four decades after the approval of cisplatin. Although these agents have demonstrated notable success in treating different types of tumors, their effectiveness against cancers remains limited owing to increased drug resistance and the emergence of severe side effects. Understanding the mechanisms of action of platinum compounds in cancer treatment has led to the development of novel platinum-based drugs that can overcome many of the limitations of the existing treatments. This review highlights the innovative strategies employed by researchers to design complexes that can target various cellular processes and disrupt the biological mechanisms implicated in tumor growth. Herein, we describe the characteristics and mechanisms of platinum-based drugs, derived from their functions and structures. Platinum (IV) prodrugs containing different inhibitors are being investigated for their ability to eliminate their effects via alternative biological pathways, including immunostimulatory mechanisms. The encouraging outcomes demonstrated by the metallodrugs under investigation suggest future advances in inorganic chemistry. This forward momentum is expected to yield novel insights into the production of chemotherapeutic agents that can overcome the limitations of current clinically used drugs, including those that have been in use for several decades.