Skin Cancer in Skin of Color [editorial]
Both from the Department of Dermatology, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York. Dr. Alexis also is from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York.
The authors report no conflict of interest.
Differences exist in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and prognosis of skin cancers in skin of color populations. Among Hispanics and black individuals, detection of skin cancers, including both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin malignancies, often is delayed. As a result, there is a poorer overall prognosis for skin cancers among nonwhites compared to non-Hispanic whites. Factors that likely contribute to the delayed diagnosis of skin cancers in patients with skin of color include decreased access to care, fewer preventative measures, and public and medical misconceptions about who is affected by skin cancer.