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Heterogeneity in Melanoma

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Book cover Melanoma

Part of the book series: Cancer Treatment and Research ((CTAR,volume 167))

Abstract

Melanoma is among the most aggressive and therapy-resistant human cancers. While great strides in therapy have generated enthusiasm, many challenges remain. Heterogeneity is the most pressing issue for all types of therapy. This chapter summarizes the clinical classification of melanoma, of which the research community now adds additional layers of classifications for better diagnosis and prediction of therapy response. As the search for new biomarkers increases, we expect that biomarker analyses will be essential for all clinical trials to better select patient populations for optimal therapy. While individualized therapy that is based on extensive biomarker analyses is an option, we expect in the future genetic and biologic biomarkers will allow grouping of melanomas in such a way that we can predict therapy outcome. At this time, tumor heterogeneity continues to be the major challenge leading inevitably to relapse. To address heterogeneity therapeutically, we need to develop complex therapies that eliminate the bulk of the tumor and, at the same time, the critical subpopulations.

Batool Shannan and Michela Perego have equally contributed.

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Abbreviations

ABCB5:

ATP-binding cassette subfamily B5

AKT:

V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog

ALCAM:

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule

ALDH1:

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1

ARID1A:

AT-rich interactive domain-containing protein 1A

BRAF:

V-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1

CD:

Cluster differentiation

CDK:

Cyclin-dependent Kinase

CDKN2A:

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A

ERK:

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase

Fbxw-7:

F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7

gp100:

Glycoprotein 100

HGF:

Hepatocyte growth factor

IGF:

Insulin-like growth factor

JARID1B:

Jumonji/ARID1 (JARID1) histone 3 K4 (H3K4) demethylases

Kit:

C-kit tyrosine kinase receptor

MAPK:

Mitogen-activated protein kinase

MART-1/Melan-A:

Melanoma antigen recognized by T cells-1/melanoma antigen A

MCAM:

Melanoma cell adhesion molecule

MEK:

MAPK/ERK Kinase

MITF:

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor

mTOR:

Mammalian target of Rapamycin

NF:

Neurofibromatosis

NGF:

Nerve growth factor

NGFR:

Nerve growth factor receptor

NRAS:

Neuroblastoma RAS viral (v-ras) oncogene homolog

PI3K:

Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase

PTEN:

Phosphatase and tensin homolog

Rac1:

Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate-1

RAF:

RAS viral (v-raf) oncogene homolog

RAS:

RAS viral (v-ras) oncogene homolog

SCF:

Stem cell factor

SEER:

Surveillance, epidemiology, end results

TGF-β:

Transforming growth factor beta

TICs:

Tumor-initiating cells

TME:

Tumor microenvironment

TNF:

Tumor necrosis factor

TP53:

Tumor protein p53

UV:

Ultraviolet

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jessica L. Kohn for editorial assistance. This work was partially funded by the PA Department of Health, NCI K01 CA175269, NIH grants P01 CA114046, P01 CA025874, P30 CA010815, and R01 CA047159, the V Foundation for Cancer Research (JV), and the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no financial conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Batool Shannan, Michela Perego, Rajasekharan Somasundaram & Meenhard Herlyn

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  1. Batool Shannan
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  2. Michela Perego
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  3. Rajasekharan Somasundaram
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  4. Meenhard Herlyn
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Correspondence to Meenhard Herlyn .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New York, USA

    Howard L. Kaufman

  2. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Janice M. Mehnert

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Shannan, B., Perego, M., Somasundaram, R., Herlyn, M. (2016). Heterogeneity in Melanoma. In: Kaufman, H., Mehnert, J. (eds) Melanoma. Cancer Treatment and Research, vol 167. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22539-5_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22539-5_1

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