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. 2022 Feb 28;36(2):77-97.
doi: 10.7555/JBR.36.20210163.

Melanoma therapeutics: a literature review

Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju  1 , Trupti N Patel  2
Affiliations

Melanoma therapeutics: a literature review

Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju et al. J Biomed Res. .

Abstract

Melanoma is a relentless type of skin cancer which involves myriad signaling pathways which regulate many cellular processes. This makes melanoma difficult to treat, especially when identified late. At present, therapeutics include chemotherapy, surgical resection, biochemotherapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic and targeted approaches. These interventions are usually administered as either a single-drug or in combination, based on tumor location, stage, and patients' overall health condition. However, treatment efficacy generally decreases as patients develop treatment resistance. Genetic profiling of melanocytes and the discovery of novel molecular factors involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma have helped to identify new therapeutic targets. In this literature review, we examine several newly approved therapies, and briefly describe several therapies being assessed for melanoma. The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent developments and to consider future directions in the field of melanoma.

Keywords: cancer; intervention; melanoma; resistance; target.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of Food and Drug Administration approved melanoma interventions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Activation of photosensitizer (PS) leads to production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damages tumor cells and brings about antitumor immune responses.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mechanism of action of PD-1/PD-L1.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Food and Drug Administration approved melanoma therapies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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