Abstract
Metals are essential components in indispensable biochemical processes for living organisms. This review article highlights the metals zinc and gold in the development and treatment of breast cancer. Metal compounds off er many advantages as therapeutics due to their ability to coordinate ligands in a three-dimensional configuration. In aqueous solution, they form positively charged ions that can bind to negatively charged biological molecules. Metal complexes that contain metal ions such as zinc(II) and gold have received considerable attention as potential anticancer agents. Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a critical role in a wide range of cellular processes that include structural, signalling, catalytic and regulatory functions. Zinc acts as a key structural component in many proteins and enzymes, including transcription factors, cellular signalling proteins, and DNA repair enzymes, and perturbed levels of zinc in tissues may play a role in cancer aetiology and outcome. Unlike zinc, gold is feasible as a component of compounds for effective anticancer therapy. Some progress in anticancer therapy may include interactions between zinc and gold.