Molecular Classifiers in Skin Cancers: Challenges and Promises

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Skin cancers are common and sometimes difficult to diagnose malignancies that occur worldwide. Most skin cancers are diagnosed by visual assessment of patient samples obtained through biopsy. However, due to the lack of well-defined malignancy features, the diagnosis and classification of skin cancer lesions remain difficult in some cases. To overcome this issue, researchers have attempted to use molecular information such as genes and proteins and imaging data to improve skin cancer diagnosis and classification. Therefore, this paper reviews the recent advancements in large-scale molecular profiling approaches and appraises their limitations and potential for reliable and reproducible classification and stratification of skin cancers. ABSTRACT: Skin cancers are common and heterogenous malignancies affecting up to two in three Australians before age 70. Despite recent developments in diagnosis and therapeutic strategies, the mortality rate and costs associated with managing patients with skin cancers remain high. The lack of well-defined clinical and histopathological features makes their diagnosis and classification difficult in some cases and the prognostication difficult in most skin cancers. Recent advancements in large-scale “omics” studies, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and imaging-omics, have provided invaluable information about the molecular and visual landscape of skin cancers. On many occasions, it has refined tumor classification and has improved prognostication and therapeutic stratification, leading to improved patient outcomes. Therefore, this paper reviews the recent advancements in omics approaches and appraises their limitations and potential for better classification and stratification of skin cancers.