Transition metals as anti-tumoral agents: some structure-function relationships of the platinum group metals

Since the discovery that cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) possessed great antitumor properties, researchers have been synthesizing and screening metal coordination complexes for their potential anti-tumor activity. Hundreds of compounds have been tested, and few compounds possessed anti-tumor activity. This paper examines how the physical and chemical properties of complexes of the platinum group metals affect their toxicity and anti-tumor activity.