Advances and applications of single-cell RNA sequencing in deciphering the tumor microenvironment of malignant skin tumors

The three most prevalent malignant skin tumors are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and cutaneous melanoma (CM). While BCC and SCC generally exhibit low levels of malignancy, some tumors can become invasive and metastasize. In contrast, CM is the most malignant and lethal form of skin cancer among these three. In recent years, the increasing incidence of skin tumors has garnered significant attention within the medical community. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has revolutionized the analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in skin tumors, offering novel insights for clinical research. In this review, we provide a concise introduction to scRNA-seq technology and its application in delineating the heterogeneity of the TME in skin tumors, elucidating the mechanisms of tumor progression and pathogenicity, and uncovering new therapeutic targets. Our review offers a comprehensive overview for researchers, offering insights that may advance the understanding of the skin TME in future studies.