Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient involved in a variety of fundamental biological processes. Recently, disorder of Cu homeostasis can be observed in many malignancies. Elevated Cu levels in serum and tissue are correlated with cancer progression. Hence, targeting Cu has emerged as a novel strategy in cancer treatment. This review provides an overview of physiological Cu metabolism and its homeostasis, followed by a discussion of the dysregulation of Cu homeostasis in cancer and the effects of Cu on cancer progression. Finally, recent therapeutic advances using Cu coordination complexes as anticancer agents, as well as the mechanisms of their anti-cancer action are discussed. This review contributes full comprehension to the role of Cu in cancer and demonstrates the broad application prospect of Cu coordination compounds as potential therapeutic agents.

中文翻译：

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铜稳态：癌症治疗的新兴目标

铜 (Cu) 是参与各种基本生物过程的必需微量营养素。最近，可以在许多恶性肿瘤中观察到铜稳态紊乱。血清和组织中Cu水平升高与癌症进展相关。因此，靶向铜已成为癌症治疗的新策略。本综述概述了生理铜代谢及其稳态，然后讨论了癌症中铜稳态的失调以及铜对癌症进展的影响。最后，讨论了使用铜配位配合物作为抗癌剂的最新治疗进展，以及它们的抗癌作用机制。