Summary: Melanoma is often diagnosed at a later stage in African Americans and Hispanics than in whites, according to new research from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. That may be one reason these minority groups have a lower survival rate with this form of skin cancer, the researchers report in the latest issue of Archives of Dermatology.

Why it's important: Melanoma is becoming increasingly common in the United States. Melanomas that are found at an early stage, when they are very thin, can be cured with surgery. But the thicker and more advanced a melanoma gets, the more difficult it is to treat and the more likely it is that it will spread. More than 90% of patients with stage I melanoma survive at least 5 years after diagnosis, but only about 18% of people with stage IV (widespread) melanoma live that long.

What's already known: Exposure to ultraviolet light, either from the sun or artificial sources like tanning booths, is one of the main risk factors for this disease. Skin cancers of all types, including melanomas, are less common in people with darker skin -- but they can still develop. Despite being at higher risk for the disease, whites still have much higher survival rates from melanoma than do African Americans or Hispanics, according to background information in the study.

How this study was done: Senior researcher Robert Kirsner, MD, Phd, and his colleagues wanted to get a better idea of how melanoma was affecting Hispanics and blacks in Miami-Dade County, which has higher-than-average populations of both groups. They used the Florida Cancer Data System to determine how many cases of melanoma had been diagnosed in the county between 1997 and 2002, what race and ethnicity the patients were, and what stage their cancer was in when found.

What was found: Out of 1,690 melanoma cases, 1,176 cases (70%) were diagnosed in non-Hispanic whites. Another 485 cases (29%) were in Hispanics, and 29 (2%) were in non-Hispanic blacks. The black patients had the most late-stage diagnoses; 52% had melanoma that had spread to nearby or distant parts of their body. Among Hispanics, 27% had regional or distant spread at diagnosis, and among whites, 16% did.

The bottom line: Kirsner and his colleagues say more needs to be done to make darker-skinned people of any race aware that they are still at risk for melanoma, even though their risk is lower than that of light-skinned people. It's important for everyone to check their skin regularly for signs of skin cancer , and to use sunscreen and other types of protection when they go out in the sun.

Citation: "Comparison of Stage at Diagnosis of Melanoma Among Hispanic, Black, and White Patients in Miami-Dade County, Florida." Published in the June, 2006, Archives of Dermatology (Vol. 142, No. 6: 704-708). First author: Shasa Hu, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.