Recent Advances in Immunotherapy-Based Approaches for the Therapy of Melanoma Skin Cancer

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Melanoma is one of the most violent forms of skin cancer that has become a major global health concern in recent years. Despite the efforts made to understand the pathogenesis of this cancer, its incidence has continued to rise over time. In response, various new therapeutic approaches have been developed over the past decade, including immunotherapy. Immunotherapy involves inspiring defense mechanisms to identify and attack tumor cells. The immunotherapies consist of immune checkpoint blockade (TRC blockade, MHC blockade, B7 blockade, T-VEC blockade, IDO blockade), adoptive T-cell transfer, cytokines (IL-1, IL-12, IL-6, IL-15, GM-CSF, IFNγ, TNF-α), vaccines, (Gp-100 vaccine, IDO-Peptide Vaccine, 6-melanoma helper peptide vaccine), and oncolytic viruses ((T-VEC) Talimogene Laherparepvec, JX-594/ Pexa Vec,(CVA21) Coxsackievirus A21 / Cavatak, (Reolysin®) Pelareorep). Immune checkpoint blockade is an immunotherapy that works by hindering precise proteins known as immune checkpoints that control the immune response. These checkpoints are present on the exterior of immune cells and show a serious character in modifiable immune response, averting over-instigation and autoimmunity. The tumor cells have evolved ways to achieve these checkpoints to escape the immune response, leading to decreased immunity against cancer cells. Immune checkpoint blockade works by targeting these checkpoints and blocking their activity. By blocking the activity of these checkpoints, immune checkpoint blockade therapy can enrich the immune response contrary to the tumor cells. This approach showspromising outcomes in the cure of melanoma with several molecules permitted by the US FDA.