SLC7A11 and cancer: These studies systematically elucidate the multi-target synergistic mechanism of curcumin derivatives through the intervention of key iron metabolism hubs (Fe2+ accumulation), redox homeostasis (surge of ROS/MDA), and critical regulatory nodes (inhibition of GPX4/SLC7A11), thereby providing innovative strategies for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs aimed at enhancing ferroptosis.