title: Malignant melanoma-The cradle of anti-neoplastic immunotherapy.
abstract: One of the defining characteristics of the malignant phenotype is the ability to evade the host immune system. Immunotherapy as a treatment modality represents a new dawn in the way we think about the treatment of a variety of malignancies. The story of immunotherapy traces its roots to its relationship with malignant melanoma. In this article, we review the intertwined history of immunotherapy and melanoma, including the early significant history, a discussion on immune mechanisms, resistance, local and systemic immunotherapeutic modalities, and speculate on possible novel future treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Division of Hematology Oncology, United States.
authors.forename: Kristian M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Division of Hematology Oncology, United States.
authors.forename: Wenge
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, United States.
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Schell
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, United States.
authors.forename: Eugene M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cozza
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, United States.
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kokolus
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Surgery, United States.
authors.forename: Rogerio I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Division of Radiation Oncology, United States.
authors.forename: Heath B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Mackley
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Surgery, United States.
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pameijer
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Surgery, United States.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Dermatology, United States.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Division of Hematology Oncology, United States.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mallon
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Melanoma Program, United States; Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology Penn State University, United States.
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.affiliation: Penn State University, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Division of Hematology Oncology, United States. Electronic address: jdrabick@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Drabick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: CTLA-4; History; Immunotherapy; Interferon; Interleukin-2; Melanoma; PD-1; Vaccine