Targeting emerging cancer hallmarks by transition metal complexes : Epigenetic reprogramming and epitherapies. Part II

In this last decade, our understanding of the complex factors and processes that drive cancer development and progression has broadened in scope and grown in depth. Today, it is widely held that as a disease, cancer can be characterized in terms of specific hallmarks that normal cells need to acquire to transform into malignant cells. Because it is both logical and intuitive, the hallmarks of cancer concept has been adopted by both the scientific and medical community as an organising principle to understand cancer and to develop new therapeutic approaches. Several new hallmarks have emerged in recent years arising from a better understanding of the crosstalk between cancer cells and their surrounding tumor microenvironment. The current review is based on the collaborative efforts of bioinorganic chemists, molecular biologists and medical doctors. It focuses on the use of transition metals as therapeutic drugs to treat malignancies arising from epigenetic dysregulation and compares the therapeutic approaches of transition metal complexes over existing drugs in clinical use.