2 research outputs found
Mutation stability in primary and metastatic melanoma: what we know and what we don’t
Despite the efficacy and success of targeted
therapies, a significant number of patients with
melanoma exhibit either intrinsic or acquired resistance
to these drugs. Numerous mechanisms for the
development of resistance have been postulated, but the
precise reason for this is not known. In this review, we
examine the incidence of mutations in select genes
(BRAF, NRAS, C-KIT, and GNAQ) known to occur in
melanoma, specifically in primary tumors and their
paired metastases, to understand the significance of
intratumoral heterogeneity by assessing how changes in
mutation status alters the process of metastatic spread.
Our data revealed a small yet consistent degree of
discordance of mutations in the MAPK pathway
commonly occurring in melanoma indicating that failed
targeted therapy may be a consequence of this