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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1486680

The Roles of Cancer Stem Cells and Therapeutic Implications in Melanoma

Provisionally accepted
Xiaoli Mu Xiaoli Mu 1Yixin Zhou Yixin Zhou 1Yongxin Yu Yongxin Yu 2Ming-Yi Zhang Ming-Yi Zhang 1Jiyan Liu Jiyan Liu 3*
  • 1 West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 2 West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
  • 3 West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Melanoma is a highly malignant skin tumor characterized by high metastasis and poor prognosis. Recent studies have highlighted the pivotal role of melanoma stem cells (MSCs)-a subpopulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs)-in driving tumor growth, metastasis, therapeutic resistance, and recurrence. Similar to CSCs in other cancers, MSCs possess unique characteristics, including specific surface markers, dysregulated signaling pathways, and the ability to thrive within complex tumor microenvironments.This review explored the current landscape of MSC research, discussing the identification of MSC-specific surface markers, the role of key signaling pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, Notch, and Hedgehog, and how interactions within the tumor microenvironment, including hypoxia and immune cells, contribute to MSC-mediated drug resistance and metastatic behavior. Furthermore, we also investigated the latest therapeutic strategies targeting MSCs, such as small-molecule inhibitors, immunebased approaches, and novel vaccine developments, with an emphasis on their potential to overcome melanoma progression and improve clinical outcomes. This review aims to provide valuable insights into the complex roles of MSCs in melanoma biology and offers perspectives for future research and therapeutic advances against this challenging disease.

    Keywords: Melanoma stem cells, Surface marker, signaling pathway, Tumor Microenvironment, Therapeutic advances

    Received: 26 Aug 2024; Accepted: 28 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Mu, Zhou, Yu, Zhang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jiyan Liu, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.