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MEK Inhibition in the Treatment of Advanced Melanoma

  • Melanoma (KB Kim, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway is considered to be the most important signal transduction pathway in melanoma, and alterations in this pathway via various genetic mutations, such as BRAF and NRAS mutations, are known to be important drivers of melanomagenesis. As MEK is an essential intermediary kinase protein within this pathway, inhibition of MEK has been of a great interest as a molecular target therapy in melanoma. In fact, trametinib, a selective MEK inhibitor, has been shown to have a survival benefit over cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with V600 BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma, leading to the FDA approval for this patient population. MEK inhibitors may also be useful in treatment of advanced melanoma harboring other genetic mutations, such as NRAS and GNAQ/GNA11 mutations. Here, we review and discuss the preclinical and clinical data regarding MEK inhibitors and their role in the treatment of advanced melanoma.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Amelia Scholtz and Ms. Diane Hackett for their editorial assistance.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Kim has been a consultant or has held an advisory role for Roche/Genentech, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Eisai. Dr. Salama has been a consultant or has held an advisory role for Roche/Genentech and Bristol Myers Squibb, and receives research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Division of Medical Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC 3476, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    April K. S. Salama

  2. Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Kevin B. Kim

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Correspondence to Kevin B. Kim.

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Salama, A.K.S., Kim, K.B. MEK Inhibition in the Treatment of Advanced Melanoma. Curr Oncol Rep 15, 473–482 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-013-0336-2

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