Biomarkers in cutaneous melanoma: castles in the sky and useful developments

Abstract

Recent advances in systemic therapy have improved outcomes for patients with advanced stage cutaneous melanoma. This has led to an increased clinical need for biomarkers to identify patients with early stage disease who are likely to benefit from adjuvant treatment. Prognostic calculators can refine prediction of the risk of recurrence by incorporating additional clinicopathological parameters that are not included in melanoma staging by the 8th edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. Novel prognostic biomarkers are being developed through a range of molecular methods, including gene expression profiling, targeted sequencing and proteomics. There is also a need for improved predictive biomarkers, to identify patients whose melanomas will respond to immunotherapy and distinguish those who are at risk of toxicity without therapeutic benefit. This presentation provides a snapshot of recent developments and future challenges in the development and application of biomarkers in the management of primary cutaneous melanoma.