mRNA Vaccines in Melanoma Immunotherapy—A Narrative Review

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and the leading cause of death related to skin disease. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of cases of this type of cancer, underscoring the need to develop effective therapeutic strategies to control it. One of the most promising research directions in this field is anticancer immunotherapy, particularly the use of vaccines aimed at enhancing the body's cellular immunity. Among the modern methods of this type, mRNA-based vaccines are prominent, gaining increasing importance as a potential tool in cancer therapy. Their main advantages include a relatively rapid and flexible production process, low production costs, and the ability to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses. Despite their numerous advantages, therapeutic mRNA vaccines also pose a number of scientific and technological challenges. These primarily concern the stability of mRNA molecules and their effective delivery to target cells. In this context, delivery systems such as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) play a key role, protecting mRNA from degradation and facilitating its transport into the cell cytoplasm. Alternatively, systems based on biodegradable polymers are also being developed, which can provide controlled mRNA release and additional biocompatibility. However, before therapeutic mRNA vaccines become a routine component of cancer therapy, extensive clinical trials and a thorough understanding of their mechanisms of action are necessary. This paper provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the structure and delivery methods of therapeutic mRNA vaccines, with a particular emphasis on their use in melanoma therapy. The results of clinical trials to date are also presented and the challenges associated with implementing this form of therapy in medical practice are discussed.