<p>Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Regardless of advances in therapy, cancer remains a foremost concern, necessitating the development of new treatment options. Metal complexes are known to interact with DNA in different ways. The interactions between metal complexes and DNA interrupt the biological role of DNA in cell replication. This forms one of the modes of action of metal complexes. On these premises, the metal complexes possess valuable therapeutic potential for cancer. This review focuses on various copper and cobalt complexes synthesized using heterocyclic ligands. These have shown higher anticancer activity against different human cancer cell lines compared to the ligands alone. These complexes have demonstrated cytotoxicity, cell growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest, mitochondrial function disruption, oxidative stress induction, and DNA damage. Additionally, cobalt and copper complexes derived from different ligands have exhibited significant cytotoxicity against various cancer cell types, suggesting their potential as effective anticancer agents.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>