A Comprehensive Review of Various Therapeutic Strategies for the Management of Skin Cancer

Abstract

Skin cancer (SC) poses a global threat to the healthcare system and is expected to increase significantly over the next two decades if not diagnosed at an early stage. Early diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment, as the disease becomes more challenging to cure as it progresses. However, identifying new drugs, achieving clinical success, and overcoming drug resistance remain significant challenges. To overcome these obstacles and provide effective treatment, it is crucial to understand the causes of skin cancer, how cells grow and divide, factors that affect cell growth, and how drug resistance occurs. In this review, we have explained various therapeutic approaches for SC treatment via ligands, targeted photosensitizers, natural and synthetic drugs for the treatment of SC, an epigenetic approach for management of melanoma, photodynamic therapy, and targeted therapy for BRAF-mutated melanoma. This article also provides a detailed summary of the various natural drugs that are effective in managing melanoma and reducing the occurrence of skin cancer at early stages and focuses on the current status and future prospects of various therapies available for the management of skin cancer.

Figure 1

Formation of the tumor and its entry through the leaky vasculature of cells and major causes of skin cancer (created with BioRender.com).

Figure 2

An illustrative image describes the pathogenesis of skin cancer, which is mainly observed due to UV rays (UVA and UVB); direct or indirect damage to DNA then produces oxidative stress, inflammation, mutation, and immunosuppression (created with BioRender.com).

Figure 3

A pie illustration describes the main natural drugs and their mechanism for the treatment of skin cancer (created with BioRender.com).

Figure 4

Illustration of the mechanism of photodynamic therapy in the management of skin cancer (created with BioRender.com).