Targeted therapy medicines are a class of medications that are used to treat cancer by targeting specific molecules that are involved in the growth and spread of cancer cells. These drugs can be used to treat various types of skin cancer, including melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. Some common targeted therapy drugs used to treat skin cancer include:

• BRAF inhibitors: These drugs target a specific genetic mutation (BRAF) that is found in about half of all cases of melanoma. Examples of BRAF inhibitors include vemurafenib and dabrafenib. They work by blocking the activity of mutated BRAF, which helps slow or stop the growth of melanoma cells.
• MEK inhibitors: These drugs are often used in combination with BRAF inhibitors to treat melanoma. Examples of MEK inhibitors include trametinib and cobimetinib. They work by blocking the activity of a protein called MEK, which is involved in cell growth and division.
• PD-1 inhibitors: These drugs target a protein called PD-1, which is found on immune cells that can recognize and attack cancer cells. Examples of PD-1 inhibitors include pembrolizumab and nivolumab. They work by blocking the activity of PD-1, which helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
• Hedgehog pathway inhibitors: These drugs are used to treat basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common type of skin cancer. Examples of hedgehog pathway inhibitors include vismodegib and sonidegib. They work by blocking a protein called smoothened, which is involved in the growth of basal cell carcinoma cells.

Targeted therapy drugs can have side effects, which can vary depending on the specific drug and the individual. Common side effects of targeted therapy drugs used to treat skin cancer can include skin rash, diarrhea, fatigue, and increased risk of infection. Your healthcare provider can help you manage any side effects you experience during treatment.

Immunotherapy medicines are a type of cancer treatment that harnesses the body’s immune system to help fight cancer cells. These drugs can be used to treat various types of skin cancer, including melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Some common types of immunotherapy used to treat skin cancer include:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors: These drugs target proteins on the surface of immune cells called checkpoint inhibitors, which can help prevent the immune system from attacking healthy cells in the body. Examples of checkpoint inhibitors used to treat skin cancer include ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab. These drugs work by blocking checkpoint inhibitors, which can help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
• Interferons: These drugs are a type of protein that helps stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells. Interferon alpha is a type of interferon that is used to treat melanoma and basal cell carcinoma. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells and activating the immune system to attack cancer cells.
• T-cell transfer therapy: This treatment involves removing immune cells called T cells from a patient’s body, modifying them in a laboratory to recognize and attack cancer cells, and then returning them to the patient’s body. T-cell transfer therapy is a personalized treatment that is currently only available in specialized cancer centers.

Immunotherapy drugs can have side effects, which can vary depending on the specific drug and the individual. Common side effects of immunotherapy drugs used to treat skin cancer can include skin rash, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and an increased risk of infection. Your healthcare provider can help you manage any side effects you experience during treatment.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. It may be used to treat skin cancer if surgery is not possible or if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.