Molecular targets in melanoma: strategies and challenges for diagnosis and therapy

In coming years, we expect rapid advances in cutaneous melanoma diagnosis and therapy, because of the incorporation of new technologies into experimental and clinical research. Major discoveries in melanoma are often made by investigators outside the field, and the melanoma research community will need to develop a better means of incorporating these advances into their work, to capitalize on the promise they hold for patients. A far greater level of cooperation between labs and clinics will be to bring new technology-based discoveries from bench-to-bedside and back. Metastatic melanoma should become a treatable disease in the next few years, because specific inhibitors are expected for most major targets. However, major challenges lie ahead in securing funding, building infrastructure and gaining expertise in new technologies. To meet these challenges, multidisciplinary collaborations will be required all the more.