Safety alert
date: 8/16/2006
Melanoma rarer, but deadlier in blacks, Hispanics
Melanoma is rare in black and Hispanic people, but is diagnosed later, making it more deadly. ConsumerReportsHealth.org explains where on your body to look for signs of melanoma if you are black or Hispanic.
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CR's Take
Darker skin offers more protection from the sun, but it's not absolute. If you're black or Hispanic, be sure to wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 and to reapply it every two hours, as well as after swimming or sweating profusely. Because black people often develop melanoma on nonexposed skin, pay special attention to moles or pigment changes beneath fingernails, around the base of the nail, between fingers and toes, and on the palms and soles. If you spot anything suspicious, see your doctor.
Black and Hispanic people are less likely than white people to contract melanoma--the most dangerous type of skin cancer--but they also tend to be diagnosed with it at more advanced stages, when it carries an increased risk of death, according to a new epidemiological study published in June in the Archives of Dermatology.
Of the 1,690 cases of melanoma in Miami-Dade County, Fla., analyzed by researchers, 69 percent were in whites, 29 percent were in Hispanics, and just 2 percent were in blacks. However, 52 percent of blacks and 26 percent of Hispanics were diagnosed with advanced melanomas vs. 16 percent of whites. Hispanics and blacks were also more likely to have the cancer spread to other organs and tissues.
Those findings are consistent with previous research that has found melanoma survival rates for whites to have increased over the past 30 years from 68 percent to 92 percent, while gains have been less dramatic among blacks and Hispanics.
Researchers can't fully explain the disparity. One theory suggests that people of color may be genetically prone to a more aggressive form of the disease. Detection can also be difficult in blacks because while a third of blacks who have melanoma develop it on regularly sun-exposed skin, most develop it in nonexposed areas, such as palms, fingernail beds, and the bottom of the feet.
The authors of this study, however, point to a lack of awareness that skin cancer is even an issue for people of color. Blacks and Hispanics are screened less frequently than whites, and many do not regularly check their skin for suspicious moles.
Dermatologists recommend that darker-skinned people follow the same safety guidelines for sun exposure as their lighter-skinned counterparts, which include avoiding outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun's rays are the strongest, wearing sun-protective clothing, and wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Keep in mind, however, that using enough sunscreen--a good handful, or one-quarter of a 4-ounce bottle--and reapplying it often may be more important than the product's SPF. And though sunscreen protects you for several hours, it won't protect you all day long. Even with scrupulously applied sunscreen, some ultraviolet rays still slip through and can eventually take a toll on your skin if you stay outdoors too long.
Insist that your doctor check you for suspicious moles, and remember that self-examination is a powerful tool. Patients and their spouses are often the ones who discover melanoma first. Routinely examine your entire body for moles that look different from most others you have, change over time, or have abnormal symptoms, such as bleeding and itching.
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. But if you find melanoma early, treatment works well and can cure you.
This site is for your information only. For medical advice, consult a health professional.
