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Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Global and Current Research Trends of Single-Cell Sequencing in Cancer: A Bibliometric and Visualization Study
Published on: April 18, 2025
Single-cell RNA sequencing in melanoma: what have we learned so far?
1Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, Australia.
Abstract:
Over the past decade, there have been remarkable improvements in the treatment and survival rates of melanoma patients. Treatment resistance remains a persistent challenge, however, and is partly attributable to intratumoural heterogeneity. Melanoma cells can transition through a series of phenotypic and transcriptional cell states that vary in invasiveness and treatment responsiveness. The diverse stromal and immune contexture of the tumour microenvironment also contributes to intratumoural heterogeneity and disparities in treatment response in melanoma patients. Recent advances in single-cell sequencing technologies have enabled a more detailed understanding of melanoma heterogeneity and the underlying transcriptional programs that regulate melanoma cell diversity and behaviour. In this review, we examine the concept of intratumoural heterogeneity and the challenges it poses to achieving long-lasting treatment responses. We focus on the significance of next generation single-cell sequencing in advancing our understanding of melanoma diversity and the unique insights gained from single-cell studies.
Insights
Melanoma treatment resistance is a challenge due to tumor cell diversity. Advanced single-cell sequencing helps understand melanoma heterogeneity and improve patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Immunology
Background:
- Melanoma patient survival rates have improved, but treatment resistance persists.
- Intratumoural heterogeneity, including diverse cell states and tumor microenvironments, drives resistance.
- Melanoma cells exhibit phenotypic and transcriptional plasticity, affecting invasiveness and treatment response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the concept of intratumoural heterogeneity in melanoma.
- To discuss the challenges posed by heterogeneity to long-lasting treatment responses.
- To highlight the significance of single-cell sequencing in understanding melanoma diversity.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on melanoma treatment, heterogeneity, and single-cell sequencing.
- Focus on next-generation single-cell sequencing technologies.
- Analysis of studies investigating melanoma cell diversity and transcriptional programs.
Main Results:
- Single-cell sequencing reveals detailed insights into melanoma cell states and transcriptional regulation.
- Understanding heterogeneity is crucial for overcoming treatment resistance.
- The tumor microenvironment significantly influences melanoma cell behavior and treatment outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Intratumoural heterogeneity is a key factor in melanoma treatment resistance.
- Single-cell sequencing technologies are advancing the understanding of melanoma diversity.
- Further research using single-cell approaches may lead to more effective melanoma therapies.
