title: New therapeutic targets in melanoma.
abstract: Research into molecular targets for drug development in melanoma is starting to bear fruit. Of the drugs tested to date in patients with metastatic melanoma, those that have yielded the best results are V600E BRAF inhibitors in melanomas carrying the V600E mutation; c-kit tyrosine kinase activity inhibitors in melanomas carrying c-kit mutations; and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) antibodies, which block the mechanisms involved in immune tolerance. Many problems have yet to be resolved in these areas, however, such as the rapid development of resistance to BRAF and c-kit inhibitors and the lack of biomarkers to predict treatment response in the case of CTLA-4 blockers. We review the results of targeted therapy with these and other drugs in metastatic melanoma and discuss what the future holds for this field.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova, Universitat de Lleida, IRBLLEIDA, Lleida, Spain. marti@medicina.udl.cat
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Martí
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorolla
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yeramian
mesh_terms: D000069594:Abatacept; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008545:Melanoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019139:Tumor Escape / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D000069594:Abatacept