Ragassi, Wellington MartinsAlves, Fernando MiguelLazo, Raul EdisonTonin, FernandaPontarolo, RobertoSari, Marcel HenriqueFerreira, Luana Mota2026-04-142026-04-142026-06Ragassi WM, Alves FM, Lazo RE, Tonin FS, Pontarolo R, Sari MH, et al. Old molecules, new hope: a scoping review and bibliometric analysis of drug repurposing for lung cancer. Chem Biol Interact. 2026;432:112048.0009-2797http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/22780We gratefully acknowledge Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES-BR) for the fellowships received by Wellington Martins de Carvalho Ragassi (#V1 - CAPES – DS), and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for the fellowships received by Fernando Miguel Stelmach Alves (PIBIC). This study is part of the National Institute of Science and Technology in 3D printing and Advanced Materials Applied to Human and Veterinary Health—INCT_3D-Saúde, funded by CNPq, Brazil (Grant #406436/2022–3).Drug repurposing has gained prominence in oncology by enabling the investigation of approved drugs for new therapeutic purposes. In lung cancer, this strategy may reduce the time and costs associated with drug development. This study aimed to map the landscape of in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical research on drug repurposing for lung cancer, while identifying key molecular targets and research gaps. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Two reviewers independently selected and extracted the data. A total of 58 studies, published between 2010 and 2024, mainly from the United Kingdom (19%) and the United States (17%), were included. Most studies used in vitro models (53%), followed by in vivo (31%) and in silico (16%), with frequent combinations of methods. The most investigated drug classes were antibiotics (10%), antipsychotics (9%), antidiabetics (8%), anthelmintics (6%), and antihistamines (6%). Frequently studied drugs included niclosamide, metformin, atorvastatin, and doxazosin, targeting pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, apoptosis, and autophagy. Bibliometric analysis revealed increasing scientific output, with emphasis on combination therapies, cellular mechanisms, and technologies like molecular docking and nanosystems. These findings highlight the growing relevance of drug repurposing in lung cancer, especially in accelerating effective therapy discovery using approved compounds. Progress in this field depends on integrating diverse methodologies and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. As a next step, rigorous clinical trials are essential to confirm the efficacy and safety of promising repurposed agents in oncology.engCancerDrug reprofilingNon-small cell lung cancerTherapeutic innovationLung cancerjournal article10.1016/j.cbi.2026.112048