Melanoma genetics: the other side

Although melanoma has traditionally been regarded as a uniformly fatal malignancy, personalized treatment of this cancer relies on the recognition of its genetic heterogeneity and our ability to pharmacologically target these specific and recurrent changes. Recent advances in the treatment of melanoma have come from the understanding that melanoma is a large family of molecularly distinct diseases. Advances in melanoma genetics and new molecular technology, such as whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing, have lead to unprecedented progress in understanding the key oncogenes and signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis and progression of melanoma. In addition, we have gained an appreciation for the complexity of such a system with numerous points of cross talk, which has partially impeded our current therapeutic strategies in patients with advanced melanoma. In this review, we focus on the novel discoveries in melanoma genetics and the potential for therapeutic options.