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Review
. 2021 Nov 4:11:775100.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.775100. eCollection 2021.

Individualized Treatment Strategy for Cutaneous Melanoma: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?

Huihua Zeng  1 , Fen Liu  2 , Hairong Zhou  1 , Changchun Zeng  3
Affiliations
Review

Individualized Treatment Strategy for Cutaneous Melanoma: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going?

Huihua Zeng et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

In the past several decades, innovative research in cancer biology and immunology has contributed to novel therapeutics, such as targeted therapy and immunotherapy, which have transformed the management of patients with melanoma. Despite the remarkable therapeutic outcomes of targeted treatments targeting MAPK signaling and immunotherapy that suppresses immune checkpoints, some individuals acquire therapeutic resistance and disease recurrence. This review summarizes the current understanding of melanoma genetic variations and discusses individualized melanoma therapy options, particularly for advanced or metastatic melanoma, as well as potential drug resistance mechanisms. A deeper understanding of individualized treatment will assist in improving clinical outcomes for patients with cutaneous melanoma.

Keywords: MAPK; immunotherapy; melanoma; resistance; targeted therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of MAPK pathway in melanomagenesis. Oncogenic mutations in BRAF are the most common genomic alterations in melanoma, followed by a mutation in NRAF, NF1, and RAC1.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Timeline of FDA-approved melanoma therapies. T-VEC, talimogene laherparepvec.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Potential mechanisms of BRAF/MEK inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibition in melanoma.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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