Recent progress in the coordination chemistry of Schiff base lanthanide complexes as anticancer agents

Modern cancer treatment has been shaped by platinum-based medications, but their severe side effects and resistance have led to the search for safer and more effective solutions. Schiff bases (SBs) have emerged as versatile pharmacophores, valued for their ability to coordinate with a wide range of metals across different oxidation states. In this review, various Schiff base metal complexes with anticancer activities from 2015 to the present are summarized. Their structures, anticancer activities, and mechanisms of action, with emphasis on structure activity relationships (SARs) and integrates bibliometric and literature analyses to identify key research trends, scientific impact, and existing knowledge gaps are discussed in depth. Notably, Schiff base metal complexes demonstrated anticancer activity through various mechanisms, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), mitochondrial dysfunction, inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the induction of apoptosis. Unlike conventional platinum drugs, these complexes offer greater stability and potent anticancer efficacy. Together, these advances underscore the expanding role of Coordination chemistry in shaping next-generation strategies for cancer diagnosis and treatment particularly highlighting the potential of lanthanide-based Schiff base complexes as emerging candidates in cancer therapeutics.