New and revisited approaches on the transdermal delivery of polyphenols-loaded nanoparticles for melanoma prevention and treatment

Human health and related topics have always been subject of intense research, being its focus the molecular characterization of diseases, and the development of new therapies. Skin cancer, specifically melanoma, can often go unnoticed by affected individuals, leading to an avoidable increased mortality. This chapter will look into the current epidemiology of melanoma, as well as its pathophysiology and current therapeutic strategies employed for its treatment. This approach will be preceded by a description of skin structures, and their contribution for the development of cancer conditions. The focus then shifts to polyphenols, promising antioxidants for cancer adjuvant therapy, and their encapsulation into nanosystems, as mediators of targeted delivery, highlighting their permeation mechanisms and toxicity concerns. Finally, the chapter will point out future perspectives on the subject, looking into what is in the research pipeline.