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Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Impact of Novel Iron Chelators on Cancer Cell Metabolism
Published on: February 23, 2024
Copper in cancer: from limiting nutrient to therapeutic target
Xiaolong Tang1,2, Zaihua Yan1,2, Yandong Miao3
1The First Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Abstract:
As an essential nutrient, copper's redox properties are both beneficial and toxic to cells. Therefore, leveraging the characteristics of copper-dependent diseases or using copper toxicity to treat copper-sensitive diseases may offer new strategies for specific disease treatments. In particular, copper concentration is typically higher in cancer cells, making copper a critical limiting nutrient for cancer cell growth and proliferation. Hence, intervening in copper metabolism specific to cancer cells may become a potential tumor treatment strategy, directly impacting tumor growth and metastasis. In this review, we discuss the metabolism of copper in the body and summarize research progress on the role of copper in promoting tumor cell growth or inducing programmed cell death in tumor cells. Additionally, we elucidate the role of copper-related drugs in cancer treatment, intending to provide new perspectives for cancer treatment.
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