During the last decades, scientific advances have increased the understanding of the molecular basis of carcinogenesis, progression, and treatment response, with the identification of numerous biomarkers involved in these processes. Although numerous therapeutic schemes have been discovered and applied in cancer management, there is a demand for more effective therapeutic approaches, especially in aggressive and unpredictable skin cancers, such as malignant melanoma. Histopathological methods are known as the gold standard in malignant melanoma diagnosis, but other methods with objective and reliable outcomes have been developed such as immunohistochemistry, proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, epigenetics and biochemical assays.

There are techniques enabling us to identify different types of biomarkers. For instance, there are diagnostic markers in primary and secondary malignant melanoma, which are currently used to ascertain the melanocytic markers in a variety of cytomorphological variants, and accordingly, the appropriate management, biomarker panels and gene arrays to differentiate it from melanocytic nevi. There are also prognostic markers that help us assess the outcome of a patient after standard therapy. This includes multiple biomarker assays, predictive markers, which are evaluating the advantage of a specific clinical intervention or outcomes differences between different interventions, including serologic markers, post-neoadjuvant therapy markers, which are used for the evaluation of therapy-resistance gain. Moreover, there are progenitor and/or stem cell-like markers, which are correlated to malignant melanoma heterogeneity, plasticity, along with progression, therapy resistance, relapse, and metastasis. Aside from traditional therapy, immunotherapy is now established as another tool in the malignant melanoma therapeutic arsenal, targeting stem cells, which, in turn, may prevent tumour recurrence and residual disease. By highlighting stem-like antigens, targeted immunological therapy and stem cell-based vaccines may be developed.

This special issue will highlight current research in malignant melanoma. Submissions can discuss different types of biomarkers and their corresponding genetic pathway alterations. Moreover, we welcome research about novel techniques enabling identification and evaluation. Submissions should also consider the limitations and potential of the chosen biomarker. This Special Issue also welcomes research focussing on optimal tumour sampling and predictive methods. These methods should consider clinical, histological, biochemical, and molecular data to further understand malignant melanoma biology. We hope that this Special Issue also improves our knowledge in malignant melanoma management, and further our understanding regarding translation into clinical implementation.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Advances in malignant melanoma markers
• New findings and diagnostic challenges in malignant melanoma
• Prognosis markers in malignant melanoma
• Predictive markers in malignant melanoma
• Post-neoadjuvant therapy markers in malignant melanoma
• Pro-metastatic gene markers and molecular predictors for metastasis-free survival in malignant melanoma
• Molecular based therapies in malignant melanoma
• Progenitor and stem-like markers and targeted immunotherapy in malignant melanoma
• Immune regulation and immune cells as potential risk markers for malignant melanoma
• Immunosuppression, immunosuppressive gene markers and tumour microenvironment in malignant melanoma
• Integrate genomic/proteomic alterations and response monitoring by cellular imaging in malignant melanoma
• Personalized treatment and vaccine-based therapy perspectives in malignant melanoma
• Molecular and cellular image-guided melanoma therapy