Targeted therapies in melanoma: Translational research at its finest

The therapeutic landscape for advanced melanoma has expanded in recent years. This expansion has largely been driven by investigational work in melanoma tumor biology and immunology that has been successfully translated to the clinical setting. Molecular evidence generated through benchside experimentation identified BRAF and MEK as key molecular targets in melanoma. This commentary will highlight this work and provide a rationale for the continued importance of translational work in the field of targeted melanoma therapies.