Molecular therapeutic approaches to melanoma

Metastatic melanoma is a highly lethal cancer that has historically been refractory to all tested pharmacological agents. An understanding of the mechanisms responsible for its oncogenesis is critical for developing successful therapies. An enormous amount of data generated over the last few decades have revealed important biological insights into melanoma initiation, progression and maintenance, which bring new directions and approaches to treatment of this devastating skin cancer. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.