Minorities More Likely To Be Diagnosed In Advanced Stages Of Melanoma Than Whites, Study Finds

Main Category: Melanoma / Skin Cancer
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 22 Jun 2006 - 23:00 PDT

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Minorities who have melanoma are more likely than whites to be diagnosed with advanced stages of the disease, according to a study published in this month's Archives of Dermatology, the Chicago Tribune reports. For the study, researchers at the University of Miami reviewed 1,700 reported cases of melanoma in Miami-Dade County for five years. About 27% of patients were Latino, and 2% were black (Meyer, Chicago Tribune, 6/20). Advanced stages of melanoma were diagnosed in 31% of the black participants, 16% of Latinos and 9% of whites, study author Shasa Hu said (Reuters/Newark Star-Ledger, 6/20). Minorities have a relatively low risk of developing melanoma, but they are more likely to die from it if it develops, the study says. Diagnosis in the later stages of the disease decreases the survival rate from 98% to 16%, according to the study. Lead researcher Robert Kirsner said data suggest that blacks and Latinos are not adequately screened for the disease and that their doctors often do not understand their risks. Low incomes and lack of health insurance also contribute to the problem, researchers said. Kirsner said, "It appears that there's a need for a broadening of the public health message about sun exposure and skin-cancer screening of nonwhite populations" (Chicago Tribune, 6/20).

An abstract of the study is available online.

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