Therapeutic applications of metal complexes in lung cancer treatment

Lung cancer is a top killer for global cancer-related death. Metal complexes have attracted significant attention for lung cancer treatment. This review focuses on the anticancer activities of platinum, ruthenium, gold, iridium, and zinc complexes in lung cancer, while their PDT and combined therapy also showed therapeutic potential. Cisplatin has been investigated in various clinical trials for lung cancer treatment. Cisplatin in combination with gemcitabine has been first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Notably, ruthenium-based drugs have shown potential as second-generation transition metal chemotherapy agents with lower toxicity compared to platinum drugs. This review highlights recent developments in metal complexes for lung cancer treatment, focusing on their mechanisms, clinical potential, and the major challenges. The combination of chemotherapy, PDT, or immunotherapy with metal complexes represents promising strategies to overcome current lung cancer treatment limitations and advance the development of next-generation anticancer therapies.