Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma

Dear Colleagues,

Cutaneous melanoma represents one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of cancer, accounting for the majority of skin cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite the implementation of public awareness campaigns and improved screening strategies, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise, particularly among fair-skinned populations. This trend underscores the urgent need for continuous innovation in prevention, early detection, and personalized treatment strategies. Over the last two decades, advances in molecular biology, genomics, imaging, and digital pathology have fundamentally reshaped the diagnostic and therapeutic landscape of this complex disease.

From a diagnostic standpoint, non-invasive imaging modalities such as dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, and high-frequency ultrasonography have improved sensitivity and specificity in melanoma detection. Artificial intelligence and deep learning-based algorithms are also being integrated into diagnostic workflows, offering promising tools for lesion classification, risk prediction, and clinical decision support. On the histopathological and molecular level, the characterization of oncogenic mutations, such as those involving the BRAF, NRAS, and KIT genes, has provided invaluable insights into melanoma pathogenesis and paved the way for the development of targeted therapies. Furthermore, circulating tumor DNA, microRNAs, and extracellular vesicles have emerged as potential liquid biopsy biomarkers with promising diagnostic and prognostic utility.

Therapeutically, the last decade has witnessed a paradigm shift in melanoma management. The advent of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors has significantly improved outcomes, transforming a once uniformly fatal disease into one that is increasingly manageable in advanced stages. Combinations of BRAF and MEK inhibitors, as well as agents targeting the PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 pathways, have achieved unprecedented response rates and durable remissions. Nevertheless, therapeutic resistance, immune-related adverse events, and the optimal sequencing or combination of these agents remain major clinical challenges that warrant further investigation.

Surgical management continues to serve as the cornerstone of treatment for localized melanoma. Advances in surgical techniques, including refined approaches to sentinel lymph node biopsy, margin control, and reconstructive options, have improved both oncological safety and esthetic outcomes. For patients with locally advanced or recurrent disease, innovations in regional therapies and oncolytic virotherapy offer new hope for disease control. In parallel, the integration of multidisciplinary care—encompassing dermatology, oncology, surgery, radiology, pathology, and reconstructive disciplines—has become essential in optimizing patient outcomes.

This Special Issue of Medicina, entitled “Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma”, will highlight recent progress across the continuum of melanoma care. We invite high-quality original research articles and comprehensive reviews that address clinical, surgical, molecular, and translational advances in this field. By fostering multidisciplinary dialog and emphasizing innovation, this Special Issue will advance our understanding of melanoma biology, improve therapeutic precision, and ultimately enhance the quality of life and survival of patients affected by this challenging malignancy.

Dr. Konstantinos Seretis
Guest Editor

Dr. Nikolaos Bounas
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• cutaneous melanoma
• early diagnosis
• immunotherapy
• targeted therapy
• molecular biomarkers
• precision medicine
• surgical management
• sentinel lymph node biopsy
• dermoscopy
• melanoma prognosis