Saracatinib (AZD0530) is a dual Src/Abl inhibitor initially developed by AstraZeneca for cancer treatment; however, data from 2006 to 2024 reveal that this drug has been tested not only for cancer treatment, but also for the treatment of other diseases. Despite the promising pre-clinical results and the tolerability shown in phase I trials, where a maximum tolerated dose of 175 mg was defined, phase II clinical data demonstrated a low therapeutic action against several cancers and an elevated rate of adverse effects. Recently, pre-clinical research aimed at reducing the toxic effects and enhancing the therapeutic performance of saracatinib using nanoparticles and different pharmacological combinations has shown promising results. Concomitantly, saracatinib was repurposed to treat Alzheimer’s disease, targeting Fyn. It showed great clinical results and required a lower daily dose than that defined for cancer treatment, 125 mg and 175 mg, respectively. In addition to Alzheimer’s disease, this Src inhibitor has also been studied in relation to other health conditions such as pulmonary and liver fibrosis and even for analgesic and anti-allergic functions. Although saracatinib is still not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the large number of alternative uses for saracatinib and the elevated number of pre-clinical and clinical trials performed suggest the huge potential of this drug for the treatment of different kinds of diseases.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer and constitutes 10–20% of all breast cancer cases. Even though platinum-based drugs such as cisplatin and carboplatin are effective in TNBC patients, their toxicity and development of cancer drug resistance often hamper their clinical use. Hence, novel drug entities with improved tolerability and selectivity profiles, as well as the ability to surpass resistance, are needed. The current study focuses on Pd(II) and Pt(II) trinuclear chelates with spermidine (Pd₃Spd₂ and Pt₃Spd₂) for evaluating their antineoplastic activity having been assessed towards (i) cisplatin-resistant TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231/R), (ii) cisplatin-sensitive TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231) and (iii) non-cancerous human breast cells (MCF-12A, to assess the cancer selectivity/selectivity index). Additionally, the complexes’ ability to overcome acquired resistance (resistance index) was determined. This study revealed that Pd₃Spd₂ activity greatly exceeds that displayed by its Pt analog. In addition, Pd₃Spd₂ evidenced a similar antiproliferative activity in both sensitive and resistant TNBC cells (IC₅₀ values 4.65–8.99 µM and 9.24–13.34 µM, respectively), with a resistance index lower than 2.3. Moreover, this Pd compound showed a promising selectivity index ratio: >6.28 for MDA-MB-231 cells and >4.59 for MDA-MB-231/R cells. Altogether, the data presently gathered reveal Pd₃Spd₂ as a new, promising metal-based anticancer agent, which should be further explored for the treatment of TNBC and its cisplatin-resistant forms.

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer worldwide, exhibiting the highest incidence rate among all cancer types. Poor outcomes often characterize this cancer as it is commonly diagnosed in advanced stages due to its unspecific symptoms. After diagnosis, the therapeutic choice is a crucial stage that profoundly affects patients’ survival. Treatment choices for lung cancer must be made carefully, acknowledging the histological type and genetic characteristics of the tumor. Non-small cell lung cancer, the most common and complex type, has a high mutational burden, making next-generation sequencing (NGS) essential for identifying specific mutations and guiding treatment. With several approved targeted therapies already available, this approach highlights the critical role of personalized medicine in lung cancer care. Despite the current therapeutic pipeline, research trying to develop new tailored drugs considering individual patient characteristics has evolved over the years. This article aims to outline the current therapeutic approach for each type of lung cancer and present the latest insights into emerging therapies, highlighting the role of personalized medicine in enhancing treatment outcomes and improving patients’ quality of life.

Lung cancer is the most lethal malignancy worldwide, having the highest incidence rate. This is a heterogeneous disease classified according to its histological and molecular characteristics. Depending on these, different therapeutic approaches have already been approved for lung cancer treatment targeting genetic alterations or even the immune system. Nonetheless, other therapies are being studied to continuously improve the care and survival of lung cancer patients. Among them, immunotherapies are one of the main targets of investigation to try and combat the ability of some malignant cells to evade anti-tumor responses mediated by the immune system. Cancer vaccine development has emerged as a promising approach to strengthen the patient’s immune system and combat the disease, especially mRNA vaccines. Currently, there are several ongoing studies investigating the therapeutic efficacy of mRNA vaccines in lung cancer treatment alone or combined with other therapeutic drugs. This review aims to highlight the importance of immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment, presenting the most recent advances particularly in mRNA-based vaccines as well as the challenges and future perspectives.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence and cancer-related mortality worldwide. In Portugal, it ranks as the fourth most common cancer, with nearly 6000 new cases being diagnosed every year. Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer-related death among males and the third cause of cancer-related death in females. Despite the globally accepted guidelines and recommendations for what would be the ideal path for a lung cancer patient, several challenges occur in real clinical management across the world. The recommendations emphasize the importance of adequate screening of high-risk individuals, a precise tumour biopsy, and an accurate final diagnosis to confirm the neoplastic nature of the nodule. A detailed histological classification of the lung tumour type and a comprehensive molecular characterization are of utmost importance for the selection of an efficacious and patient-directed therapeutic approach. However, in the context of the Portuguese clinical organization and the national healthcare system, there are still several gaps in the ideal pathway for a lung cancer patient, involving aspects ranging from the absence of a national lung cancer screening programme through difficulties in histological diagnosis and molecular characterization to challenges in therapeutic approaches. In this manuscript, we address the most relevant weaknesses, presenting several proposals for potential solutions to improve the management of lung cancer patients, helping to decisively improve their overall survival and quality of life.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved therapeutic option for the treatment of various types of cancer. PDT calls for the application of photosensitizers (PSs) and photoactivation with a particular light wavelength while tissue oxygen is present. Anticancer efficacy depends on the combination of these three substrates leading to the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promote apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagy of cancer cells. However, one of the biggest problems with conventional PDT is the poor accumulation and targeting of PSs to tumor tissues, resulting in undesirable side effects and unfavorable therapeutic outcomes. To overcome this, new photosensitizers have been developed through bioconjugation and encapsulation with targeting molecules, such as peptides, allowing a better accumulation and targeting in tumor cells. Several studies have been conducted to test the efficacy of several peptide-conjugated photosensitizers and improve PDT efficacy. This review aims to present current insights into various types of peptide-conjugated photosensitizers, with the goal of enhancing cancer treatment efficacy, addressing the limitations of conventional PDT, and expanding potential applications in medicine.