However, even though there being an argument for suppressing MITF expression or function during MAPK pathway inhibitor treatment, there might be a flip side to such an approach; in line with the upregulation of MITF in response to MAPK pathway inhibition, a significant upregulation in melanoma differentiation antigen (MDA) expression (i.e. MITF target genes such as TYRP1, MART‐1/MLANA or DCT/TYRP2) is detectable in tumours of patients on treatment (Frederick et al., 2013). The gene discussed is MLANA; the disease is melanoma.