Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor that results in poor disease prognosis due to unsuccessful
treatment options. During the early stages of tumor progression, surgery is the primary approach
that assures a good outcome. However, in the presence of metastasis, melanoma hasbecome almost
immedicable, since the tumors can not be removed and the disease recurs easily in a short period of
time. However, in recent years, the combination of nanomedicine and chemotherapeutic drugs has offered
promising solutions to the treatment of late-stage melanoma. Extensive studies have demonstrated
that nanomaterials and their advanced applications can improve the efficacy of traditional chemotherapeutic
drugs in order to overcome the disadvantages, such as drug resistance, low drug delivery rate and
reduced targeting to the tumor tissue. In the present review, we summarized the latest progress in imaging
diagnosis and treatment of melanoma using functional nanomaterials, including polymers,
liposomes, metal nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles and carbon-based nanoparticles. These
nanoparticles are reported widely in melanoma chemotherapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic
therapy, and hyperthermia.
Refractory Malignant Skin Neoplasm
