Exosome application in tumorigenesis: diagnosis and treatment of melanoma

Melanoma is the most aggressive of skin cancer derived from genetic mutations in the melanocytes. Current therapeutic approaches include surgical resection, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, biochemotherapy, and targeted therapy. However, the efficiency of these strategies may be decreased due to the development of diverse resistance mechanisms. Here, it has been proven that therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can improve the efficiency of melanoma therapies and also, cancer vaccines are another approach for the treatment of melanoma that has already improved clinical outcomes in these patients. The use of antibodies and gene vaccines provides a new perspective in melanoma treatment. Since the tumor microenvironment is another important factor for cancer progression and metastasis, in recent times, a mechanism has been identified to provide an opportunity for melanoma cells to communicate with remote cells. This mechanism is involved by a novel molecular structure, named extracellular vesicles (EVs). Depending on the functional status of origin cells, exosomes contain various cargos and different compositions. In this review, we presented recent progress of exosome applications in the treatment of melanoma. Different aspects of exosome therapy and ongoing efforts in this field will be discussed too.