6533b823fe1ef96bd127fde6

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Targeted Therapies in Melanoma

subject

description

The standard approach for malignant melanoma is represented by surgical excision. In most cases, distant metastases develop. Until few years ago, the main strategies to treat metastatic melanoma were chemotherapy and cytokines with subsequent low efficacy and poor tolerability profile. In the last few years, a new biological therapy has become available for metastatic melanoma. It includes targeted therapy, such as BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib and dabrafenib) and MEK inhibitors (trametinib), and immunotherapy, such as the monoclonal antibodies anti-CTLA-4 (ipilimumab) and anti-PD-1 (nivolumab and lambrolizumab). The different mechanisms of action of these new drugs imply a variability of outcomes achieved and tolerability profiles. Consequently, the therapeutic options for patients who are diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma have been radically changed.