From coins to cancer therapy: Gold, silver and copper 1 complexes targeting human 2 topoisomerases

Cancer is a complex issue and, even though the prevention basics and therapy have been implemented, is still the second leading death cause worldwide. With the hope to discover new powerful and safer molecules to fight cancer, many researcher focused their attention on metal-based compounds, starting from the most famous and successfully employed anticancer drug, i.e. cisplatin. The current article aims to report the most recent discoveries about the use of gold, silver and copper complexes as anticancer agents, highlighting their influences on important enzymes, fundamental for the cell life but also strongly implicated, when overexpressed, in cancer onset and progression, namely human topoisomerases. Moreover, the identification of lead complexes, gifted with the appropriate chemical and pharmacological properties, represents a fecund starting point for the development of new anticancer agents.