Published in:
01-12-2018 | Review – Cancer Research
Melanoma treatment: from conventional to nanotechnology
Authors:
Harshita Mishra, Pawan K. Mishra, Adam Ekielski, Manu Jaggi, Zeenat Iqbal, Sushama Talegaonkar
Published in:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
|
Issue 12/2018
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Abstract
Introduction
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer causing most of the skin cancer-related deaths. The incidence of melanoma has risen so dramatically over past few years that no other solid or blood malignancy comes close to it in terms of increased incidence. The main problem associated with the treatment of melanoma is low response rate to the existing treatment modalities, which in turn is due to the incomplete response by chemotherapeutic agents and inherent resistance of melanoma cells.
Materials and Methods
Conventional therapeutic strategies, as well as, recent literature on melanoma have been thoroughly studied. This review summarizes the base of anti-melanoma treatment with conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, followed by an account of recent studies which explored the potential of nanotechnology and newer strategies and agents in melanoma treatment.
Conclusion
Although melanoma is curable if detected in its early localized form, metastatic melanoma continues to be a therapeutic challenge. Metastatic melanoma has a very poor prognosis and conventional therapies have not improved the outcomes of the treatment so far. For this reason, newer combinations of anti-melanoma drugs and newer strategies utilizing nanotechnology have been constantly explored.