Abstract: A melanoma is a highly malignant tumor that originates from melanocytes in the skin, mucosa, or tunica pigmentosa. The incidence and mortality rate of cutaneous melanoma are increasing annually. However, the efficacy of traditional therapy is extremely limited because of its low sensitivity and high toxicity. The application of the anti-CTLA- 4 antibody and the BRAF inhibitor dramatically improves the overall survival of patients with advanced melanoma. However, their limited benefit ratio and high drug resistance curtail the use of anti-CTLA- 4. Since the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the anti-PD- 1 and anti-PD-L 1 antibodies for ad -vanced melanoma in 2014, a significant survival benefit has been observed in patients with advanced melanoma. This review aims to highlight the applications of the anti-PD- 1 antibody (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and pidilizumab) and the anti-PD-L1 antibody (MP -DL3280A, BMS-936559, and MEDI 4736) in the clinical treatment of melanoma by succinctly summarizing the results of recent reports.