future directions

• • Future research required to further develop targeted therapies and immunotherapy treatments. Use of targeted therapies based on different types of mutations causing uncontrolled cell division occurring in melanoma. Drugs developed to interrupt specific pathways. Scientists are aware of numerous other mutations yet to be identified so research continues. Once identified, further drugs developed to interrupt pathways
• • Only 2 immunotherapy drugs are available and not successful on all patients. Further research required for greater variety so more patients can benefit. 
• • Use of vaccines only treats early stages. More research required to refine process and make more effective
• • Immunotherapy is still requiring extensive research to further develop this treatment for all types of cancer. Immunotherapies can be:
• • non-specific – uses cytokines to stimulate the immune system to destroy the cancerous cells and are typically used in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy
• • specific – directly stimulates the adaptive immune response to destroy the cancerous cells such as:
• •  cancer vaccines – are either preventative to initiate the adaptive immune response and provide immunological memory (e.g. HPV vaccine for cervical cancer) or therapeutic that prompt the immune system to fight existing cancerous cells in the body
• •  monoclonal antibodies – production of a large number of antibodies cultured in a laboratory that are specific to a particular antigen on the surface of cancerous cells