Emergence of Macrocyclic Metal Complexes as Anticancer Agents

Abstract

Cancer is a terrifying disease that causes the death of approximately 10 million people annually. It involves several physiological systems, which complicates its treatment and management. Methods such as radiation therapy, hormone therapy, bone marrow transplantation, surgery, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and monoclonal antibody therapy are used for the treatment and management of cancer. Due to the metastatic nature of most cancers, chemotherapy is one of the most common methods of treatment. Several anticancer drugs with varying success rates are currently available on the market. Transition metal complexes (metallodrugs) have made a name for themselves in inorganic medicinal chemistry as they provide multi-purpose platforms for anticancer drug design and development. Among the different classes of metallodrugs, transition metal complexes of macrocyclic ligands are important for the development of anticancer drugs. This chapter highlights the need for different types of anticancer drugs and the importance of the emergence of metals and metal complexes in the treatment of cancer.