Abstract
Copper and iron are essential elements that play critical roles in several biological processes, including cancer cell survival and metabolism. Their dysregulation can cause cellular stress and malfunction, ultimately leading to regulated cell death (RCD). Recently, cuproptosis and ferroptosis have emerged as newly discovered RCDs, reflecting promising results in the context of cancer management. Unlike other RCDs, ferroptosis and cuproptosis have distinct morphological, genetic, and biological mechanisms. Accumulated iron-driven ferroptosis and copper-induced cuproptosis disturb several cellular processes by altering key proteins, signalling pathways, and cell cycles. These disruptions ultimately lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, formation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS), impairment of lipid layers, and modulation of immunological functions, altogether paving the direction towards cancer suppression and providing novel avenues towards targeted therapeutic strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the fundamental mechanisms of ferroptosis and cuproptosis, especially in cancer cell mortality. Furthermore, this study highlights the multifaceted roles of phytocompounds, nanomedicines, and chemotherapeutic agents in inducing ferroptosis and cuproptosis. Thus, contributing to significant improvements in the development of cancer treatments.