Autophagy in Melanoma: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives

Abstract

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. This type of cancer remains a major public health challenge due to its high metastatic potential and resistance to treatment. Autophagy is a catabolic process that enables the controlled degradation of damaged cellular organelles and unnecessary or abnormal macromolecules. Its primary function is to maintain intracellular homeostasis and cell survival. There are three main types of autophagy: macroautophagy, microautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). The role of autophagy in oncogenesis is multifaceted and context-dependent—depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development. Autophagy can either promote tumor progression or act as a tumor-suppressive mechanism. Factors influencing the role of autophagy in cancer include inflammation, crosstalk with apoptosis and resistance to anticancer therapies. Current research is focused on the use of both autophagy inhibitors and autophagy inducers as potential strategies to improve the effectiveness of melanoma treatment.