Copper-based metal-organic frameworks: applications and prospects in cancer diagnosis and therapy

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as versatile nanoplatforms for biomedical applications, attributed to their architecturally tunable structures and multifunctional capabilities. Among these, copper-based MOFs (Cu-MOFs) have garnered substantial attention in oncological research due to their intrinsic physicochemical properties, including catalytic activity, photothermal responsiveness, and biocompatibility. Research has demonstrated that Cu-MOFs can effectively circumvent critical limitations of conventional therapeutic modalities, specifically chemotherapy-induced drug resistance, systemic toxicity, and insufficient tumour targeting. Through rational structural engineering, researchers have developed multimodal combination therapy systems that offer enhanced efficacy and reduced adverse effects. Recent advances have further highlighted the synergistic potential of Cu-MOFs in inducing cuproptosis and augmenting immunotherapeutic approaches. This review systematically examines recent progress (2020-2026) in the application of Cu-MOFs for cancer diagnosis and therapy, elucidates the mechanisms by which they enhance conventional treatments, analyses established combination therapy systems, and evaluates advancements in cuproptosis-related and immunotherapeutic strategies. Finally, the review discusses critical challenges in clinical translation and proposes future research directions.