Development and therapeutic implications of small molecular inhibitors that target calcium-related channels in tumor treatment

Calcium ion dysregulation exerts profound effects on various physiological activities such as tumor proliferation, migration, and drug resistance. Calcium ion-related channels play a regulatory role in maintaining calcium ion homeostasis, with most channels being highly expressed in tumor cells. Additionally, these channels serve as potential drug targets for the development of antitumor medications. In this review, we first discuss the current research status of these pathways, examining how they modulate various tumor functions such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metabolism, and drug resistance. Simultaneously, we summarize the recent progress in the study of novel small-molecule drugs over the past 5 years and their current status.