Whites and white-Hispanics diagnosed with melanoma more frequently than blacks

Data trends continue to confirm that the incidence of melanoma was higher among white non-Hispanics and white Hispanics from 1990 to 2004 compared to blacks. In addition, white Hispanics and blacks were still more likely to have advanced skin cancer at diagnosis during this period.

“The results of our study should motivate the expansion of melanoma awareness and screening campaigns to the minority communities, which can ultimately alleviate the disparities in melanoma outcome in these populations,” researchers wrote.

Using data from the Florida Cancer Data System, the researchers observed 41,072 cases of melanoma between 1990 and 2004: 39,670 cases were in white non-Hispanics, 1,148 were in white Hispanics and 254 were in blacks.

White non-Hispanic women had the highest increase of melanoma rates with an annual percent change of 3.6% (95% CI, 2.4-4.8). For white non-Hispanic men, the rate of annual percent change was 3% (95% CI, 2.2-3.8).

White Hispanic women also had a high annual increase in melanoma incidence: 3.4% (95% CI, 0.9-6.4); the change in white Hispanic men was only 0.89% and did not reach statistical significance. Incidence remained relatively stable among blacks, according to the researchers.

Despite low incidence rates, the highest proportion of melanomas diagnosed at advanced stage was observed among blacks. About 27% of blacks and 18% of white Hispanics who had regional- or distant-stage melanoma vs. about 12% of white non-Hispanics (P<.001). The odds ratio for having regional- or distant-stage melanoma was 2.7 (95% CI, 2.0-3.6) for blacks and 1.6 for white Hispanics (95% CI, 1.4-1.9) as compared with white non-Hispanics.

Hu S. Arch Dermatol. 2009;145:1369-1374.