Abstract
Commonly used anticancer drugs are cisplatin and other platinum-based drugs. However, the use of these drugs in chemotherapy causes numerous side effects and the onset of frequent drug resistance phenomena. This review summarizes the most recent results on the gold derivatives used for their significant inhibitory effects on the in vitro proliferation of breast cancer cell models and for the consequences deriving from morphological changes in the same cells. In particular, the study discusses the antitumor activity of gold nanoparticles, gold (I) and (III) compounds, gold complexes and carbene-based gold complexes, compared with cisplatin. The results of screening studies of cytotoxicity and antitumor activity for the gold derivatives show that the death of cancer cells can occur intrinsically by apoptosis. Recent research has shown that gold (III) compounds with square planar geometries, such as that of cisplatin, can intercalate the DNA and provide novel anticancer agents. The gold derivatives described can make an important contribution to expanding the knowledge of medicinal bioorganometallic chemistry and broadening the range of anticancer agents available, offering improved characteristics, such as increased activity and/or selectivity, and paving the way for further discoveries and applications.
Highlights
9 million people around the world fall ill and die from cancer diseases every year, many of who do not receive adequate treatment due to the high cost
Scientific research has focused on the study of gold compounds that show selectivity and cytotoxicity towards cisplatin-resistant tumors, and affinity for biological targets such as mitochondria and DNA
This review summarized the cytotoxic and antitumor activity of some gold derivatives, from cytotoxicity towards cisplatin-resistant tumors, and affinity for biological targets such as mitochondria and DNA
Summary
9 million people around the world fall ill and die from cancer diseases every year, many of who do not receive adequate treatment due to the high cost. Combination therapy provides treatment for HR positive/HER2 negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer by lowering estrogen levels to inhibit cell growth and cyclin-dependent kinase to block malignant cell division and proliferation [7,8]. Increased data on the safety and tolerability of CDK 4/6 inhibitors in patients may help clinicians in the selection of initial therapy for patients with HR positive/HER2 negative breast cancer [12]. Different studies have shown that gold derivatives act differently from platinum anticancer drugs, since their primary target is the proteasome; in this regards future approaches will bring to the development gold complexes selective for specific cancer cells and tumor targets in order to increase their effectiveness and better control of undesired side effects [22,23]. In vitro and ex vivo experiments have shown that this class of compounds shows significant antiproliferative activity against ovarian, prostate, lung and breast cancers [24]
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