Management of malignant melanoma: new developments in immune and gene therapy

Thus far, the use of classical anti-cancer treatment modalities had only ra rely a beneficial impact on the prognosis of patients with metastatic melan oma. We as physicians have therefore the obligation as well as the chance t o develop and test new therapeutic strategies. Our growing knowledge about the genetic basis of melanoma provides one platform to fulfil this task. An other one comes from our increasing understanding of the molecular and cell ular mechanisms involved in the induction/modulation of immune responses, a s well as the progress made in the field of identification of melanoma anti gens, and allows for the development of a new generation of vaccines. The a im of this article is to discuss several of these new concepts towards the use of immune and gene therapy of melanoma.