Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth. The cells grow uncontrollably with the potential to invade and spread to other parts of the body. This disease is one of the principal death causes in the world, thus becoming a significant topic of scientific research. On the other hand, transition metals play a fundamental role in different living systems. In particular, Metallodrugs represent new and powerful tools for diverse therapeutic applications. To date, various metallodrugs display interesting biological activities for chemotherapy. In this field, cisplatin was the first inorganic compound with high relevance in cancer treatment. This compound was a leader agent in clinical use. Toxicity and resistance problems trigger the development of other platinum drugs with better clinical perspective and also raise the scientific interest for the putative antitumor properties of V, Ru and Cu compounds. Several scientific articles show that complexes of these metals are the new metal-based drugs used in the treatment of several cancers, such us, lung, colon, breast, bladder, etc. In this review we recapitulate current information and new advances on antitumor in vitro effects of several organic and inorganic compounds derived from copper, ruthenium and vanadium. These metal derived compounds targeting DNA or cell proteins involved in cell signaling pathways related to cancer. The mechanisms of cell death of these metallodrugs have also been comprehensibly reviewed. The knowledge of these mechanisms of death and the relationship between chemical structure and biological activity may be useful for the design of new metal-based drugs with promising pharmacologic applications as anticancer agents.

Flavonoids, a polyphenolic compound family, and the vanadium compounds have interesting biological, pharmacological, and medicinal properties. We report herein the antitumor actions of the complex [VO(chrysin)₂EtOH]₂ (VOchrys) on the MG-63 human osteosarcoma cell line. Oxovanadium(IV), chrysin and VOchrys caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell viability. The complex was the strongest antiproliferative agent (p < 0.05). Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies also showed a concentration effect. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the alterations in the GSH/GSSG ratio underlie the main mechanisms of action of VOchrys. Additions of ROS scavengers (vitamin C plus vitamin E) or GSH to the viability experiments demonstrated beneficial effects (p < 0.01). Besides, the complex triggered apoptosis, disruption of the mitochondria membrane potential (MMP), increased levels of caspase 3 and DNA fragmentation measured by the sub-G1 peak in cell cycle arrest experiments (p < 0.01). Collectively, VOchrys is a cell death modulator and a promissory complex to be used in cancer treatments.

: Copper is an essential element for most aerobic organisms, with an important function as a structural and catalytic cofactor, and in consequence, it is implicated in several biological actions. The relevant aspects of chemistry and biochemistry and the importance of copper compounds in medicine give us a comprehensive knowledge of the multifaceted applications of copper in physiology and physiopathology. In this review, we present an outline of the chemistry, and the antitumor properties of copper complexes on breast, colon, and lung cancer cells focus on the role of copper in cancer, the relationship between structure-activity, molecular targets, and the study of the mechanism of action involved in its anticancer activity. This overview is expected to contribute to understanding the design, synthesis, and uses of copper complexes as antitumor agents in the most common cancers.