Melanoma and its Drug Targets

Melanoma is the most lethal type among skin cancers, causing about 75% of all skin cancer deaths. Melanoma patients have different responses to therapy, depending on what genes are mutated on their tumours. About half of melanomas have a mutation in the BRAF gene; while a quarter have a mutation in the genes of RAS family (NRAS, HRAS, KRAS). New BRAF inhibitors are effective against BRAF mutant melanoma, but no comparable therapies are currently available against RAS mutant melanoma. Inhibition of MEK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase Kinase, it is encoded by Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinase gene), a downstream protein within the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway, can induce apoptosis. Inhibition of the MAPK signaling at any level can assist in the treatment of melanoma.