title: Prognostic and predictive biomarkers in melanoma: an update.
abstract: Malignant melanoma is one of the most aggressive cancers. Several new therapeutic strategies that focus on immuno- and/or targeted therapy have been developed, which have entered clinical trials or already been approved. This review provides an update on prognostic and predictive biomarkers in melanoma that may be used to improve the clinical management of patients. Prognostic markers include conventional histopathological characteristics, chromosomal aberrations, gene expression patterns and miRNA profiles. There is a trend towards multi-marker assays and whole-genome molecular screening methods to determine the prognosis of individual patients. Predictive biomarkers, including targeted components of signal transduction, developmental or transcriptional pathways, can be used to determine patient response towards a particular treatment or combination thereof. The rapid evolution of sequencing technologies and multi-marker screening will change the spectrum of patients who become candidates for therapeutic agents, and in addition create new ethical and regulatory challenges.
authors.affiliation: a OncoMark Ltd., NovaUCD, Bellfield , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.|b Cancer Research UK, Beatson Institute , Glasgow , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foth
authors.affiliation: a OncoMark Ltd., NovaUCD, Bellfield , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.|c Translational Cell & Tissue Research , Department of Imaging and Pathology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
authors.forename: Jasper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: a OncoMark Ltd., NovaUCD, Bellfield , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.|d Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , Dublin , Ireland.
authors.forename: Ciaran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Chaumont
authors.affiliation: a OncoMark Ltd., NovaUCD, Bellfield , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dynoodt
authors.affiliation: a OncoMark Ltd., NovaUCD, Bellfield , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.|e UCD Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Laboratory, School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research , University College Dublin , Dublin , Ireland.
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Gallagher
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor
keywords: Melanoma; biomarker; multi-marker assay; predictive; prognostic