We show that: 1) ABCB5-expressing cells selectively survive over ABCB5− cells after a temozolomide treatment inducing a significant tumor regression in the WM-266-4 xenograft model 2) ABCB5-expressing cells are more abundant in melanomas from patients treated with dacarbazine 3) in vitro, dacarbazine but also vemurafenib and other drugs induce an increase in the ABCB5-expressing cell population at doses that are cytotoxic for the bulk cells. Here, ABCB5 is linked to neoplasm.