Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most aggressive and resistant malignancies in humans. Until recently, progress in the treatment of metastatic melanoma remained dormant for nearly two decades. However, recent advances in immune and targeted therapeutic approaches have led to dramatic and paradigm-shifting advances in the management of metastatic melanoma, that are now leading the way for other malignancies. With the advent of these new therapeutic options, chemotherapy is no longer favored as a first line strategy in metastatic melanoma, but continues to play a role in the salvage treatment of patients that have become refractory to immune-based or targeted therapies. Nab-paclitaxel, a solvent-free alternative to solvent-based paclitaxel, has shown in several trials to be active in metastatic melanoma. Herein, we summarize the role of nab-paclitaxel in the management of patients with advanced melanoma.
Keywords: Melanoma; albumin-bound paclitaxel; cremophore-free paclitaxel; nab-paclitaxel; solvent-free paclitaxel; taxanes.