Reductive stress, bioactive compounds, redox-active metals, and dormant tumor cell biology to develop redox-based tools for the treatment of cancer Quiles Morales, José Luis Sánchez González, Cristina Vera Ramírez, Laura Giampieri, Francesca Navarro Hortal, María Dolores Xiao, Jianbo Llopis González, Juan Battino, Maurizio Varela López, Alfonso cysteine glutathione metastasis mitochondria nanoparticles oxidative stress L.V.-R. is supported by the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health—Fundación Progreso y Salud. M.D.N.-H. is an FPU fellow from the Spanish Ministry of Educación y Formación Profesional. The group has been partially supported by the Visiting Scholar Program from the University of Granada. Significance: Cancer is related to redox biology from many points of view, such as initiation and promotion, metabolism and growth, invasion and metastasis, vascularization or through the interaction with the immune system. In addition, this extremely complex relationship depends on the redox homeostasis of each cellular compartment, which might be used to fight cancer. Recent advances: New ways of modulating specific and little explored aspects of redox biology have been revealed, as well as new delivery methods or uses of previously known treatments against cancer. Here, we review the latest experimental evidence regarding redox biology in cancer treatment and analyze its potential impact in the development of improved and more effective antineoplastic therapies. Critical issues: A critical issue that deserves particular attention is the understanding that both extremes of redox biology (i.e. oxidative stress and reductive stress) might be useful or harmful in relation to cancer prevention and treatment. Future directions: Additional research is needed to understand how to selectively induce reductive or oxidative stress adequately to avoid cancer proliferation or to induce cancer cell death. 2026-01-30T08:10:47Z 2026-01-30T08:10:47Z 2020 journal article Published version: Quiles JL, Sánchez‐González C, Verá‐Rámí rez L, Giámpieri F, Návárro‐Hortál MD, Xiáo J, Llopis J, Báttino M, Várelá‐Lopez A.Reductive Stress, Bioáctive Compounds, Redox‐Active Metáls, ánd Dormánt Tumor Cell Biology to Develop Redox‐ Básed Tools for the Treátment of Cáncer. Antioxidánts ánd Redox Signáling. 2020;146:111820. https://doi.org/10.1089/árs.2020.8051 https://hdl.handle.net/10481/110505 10.1089/árs.2020.8051 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ open access Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional Sage