Protect Yourself In The Sun
Brown skin does give you a leg up on skin protection. It has more melanin, the pigment that gives you color. Melanin helps protect against sun damage. But alone, itâs not enough:
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30.
- Donât go in the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Avoid getting sunburned.
What Are The Risks Associated With Skin Cancer In Black People
Due to the fact that skin cancer is less common in Black people, some may perceive their risk of skin cancer as low. They may not seek care for potentially cancerous skin changes.
A 2018 study used focus groups to evaluate Black and Latino peoples knowledge and attitudes about skin cancer. Researchers found that:
- Many study participants perceived themselves to have a low risk of skin cancer due to having a darker skin tone or a lack of family history of skin cancer.
- Black participants reported skin cancer symptoms more inconsistently than Latino participants.
- Few study participants reported regular use of sun protection behaviors.
Many times, skin cancer isnt diagnosed in Black people until its later stages. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, 25 percent of melanomas in Black people are diagnosed after the cancer has already spread to surrounding lymph nodes.
Receiving a diagnosis at a later stage can make skin cancer much harder to treat. It can also negatively impact outlook.
Q: Prevention Is Key What Are The Challenges
Multiple studies show much less frequent use of sunscreen among people of color. The most important rule, as with everyone, is simply to make sure you use it. Nuances arise in helping darker-skinned patients overcome some of the aesthetic barriers to use. The mineral-based sunscreens that are least irritating often create an ashen look, with residue, and thats a big obstacle. Patients constantly ask, What sunscreen can I use thats going to be acceptable for my skin? Ive found that the sophisticated formulations that have nanoparticles, where the zinc oxide and titanium dioxide have been micronized to limit the chalky look, tend to work well on darker skin tones. Theres been a general call to action in the industry to test sunscreen formulations on diverse populations in order to establish cosmetic acceptability across a range of skin types and complexions.
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Melanoma In Mori Pacific And Asian People
Skin cancer, including melanoma, occurs much less commonly in Mori, Pacific and Asian people from New Zealand compared with New Zealand Europeans.
- Ethnic groups with naturally darker skin produce more melanin. Melanin absorbs the ultraviolet radiation that comes from the sun, preventing it from harming skin cells.
- Cultural and behavioural differences relating to clothing and activities may also account for varied risks of melanoma in different populations.
Even though less than 1% of Mori are diagnosed with melanoma, they tend to have thicker melanomas, which are more dangerous and more difficult to treat. Three Mori men and three Mori women died of melanoma in 2010.
- Melanoma in ethnic skin is often on the sole of the foot or under a nail.
- Take a new or growing skin spot seriously see your doctor straight away.
- Skin that burns easily and tans poorly
- Using sunbeds or tanning salons
These relative risk factors are less important for the less common types of melanoma . These arise sporadically.
What Are The Risk Factors For Skin Cancer
People burn or tan depending on their skin type, the time of year, and how long they are exposed to UV rays.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but people with certain characteristics are at greater risk
- A lighter natural skin color.
- Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun.
- Blue or green eyes.
- Certain types and a large number of moles.
- A family history of skin cancer.
- A personal history of skin cancer.
- Older age.
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Q: What Other Skin Cancer Precautions Do You Recommend To Patients Of Color
I constantly stress the importance of monthly self-examinations of the skin that include not just sun-exposed areas but also the soles of the feet, the palms, the toenail and fingernail beds and also the genital areas places that one might not even think to look. Thats really where the biggest learning gap is. And everyone should get a full-body examination from a dermatologist once a year or any time they see something unusual, such as a new or changing growth or mole or, particularly in skin of color, a sore that doesnt heal. Unfortunately, most people of color are not doing this.
However, Ive observed growing awareness of the dangers of skin cancer among populations of color. We have a long way to go, but the interest is there. I think in the next phase were going to see larger-scale change that results in actual reduction of some of the disparities. Im very optimistic about the future. Interview by Lorraine Glennon
About the Expert:
Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, is chair of the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai St. Lukes and Mount Sinai West in New York City. He is also professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As director of the Skin of Color Center in New York City, he is actively involved in advancing patient care, research and education pertaining to dermatologic disorders prevalent in ethnic skin.
Melanoma Can Develop In Anyone
- Male and females
- Old people and young people
- People with light- or dark- coloured skin
About one in fifteen fair-skinned New Zealanders can expect to get melanoma in their lifetime. New Zealand has the highest rates of melanoma in the world. In 2009 it was the fourth most common cancer registered and the sixth most common cause of death from cancer.
In New Zealand, older men of non-European ethnicity are more likely to be diagnosed with a difficult-to-treat thick melanoma. Men are twice as likely to die from melanoma than females of similar ethnic background.
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Treatment Options For Skin Cancer
The goal of any skin cancer treatment is to remove the cancer before it has a chance to spread. If the skin cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs, treating the cancer becomes more difficult. If it hasnt spread, though, treating skin cancer is often very successful.
Treatment options include:
- Surgery. Surgically removing the cancerous spot is a common option. In some cases, the spot can be removed easily in a doctors office. More advanced cases may require in-depth surgery.
- Cryosurgery. This type of surgery freezes the affected skin, killing the cancerous cells. Over time, the dead skin cells fall off.
- Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy uses a persons immune system to target and destroy cancer. In the case of skin cancer, a medicated cream is applied to the cancerous area. The immune system then works to destroy the cancer.
- Chemotherapy. If skin cancer has progressed beyond the skin, chemotherapy can help target and kill any cancer cells surgery cant remove. Chemotherapy comes in several forms, including oral medication, injected shots, and IV infusions. It can even be applied to the skin.
- Radiation therapy. Radiation seeks out and destroys cancer cells. Radiation is used to treat a larger area, or an area thats too difficult to treat with surgery.
- In this type of therapy, a chemical is applied to the skin cancer. After staying on the skin for many hours, the skin is exposed to a special light, destroying the cancer cells.
Varying Attitudes Regarding Skin Cancer
Different understandings of skin cancer and risk in minority groups may contribute to the later, more aggressive, diagnoses. For example, in one Florida-based study, researchers found that:
- Only a quarter of minorities at a health clinic had heard of skin cancer.
- About 20 percent thought their darker skin meant they could not get skin cancer.
- Just under half thought it was unlikely or very unlikely to get skin cancer.
- Around 60 percent had never done a self-skin check and only about 20 percent had ever seen a dermatologist.4
Although minorities are at a lower risk of skin cancer, it is still possible. Results like these show the importance of monitoring for signs of skin cancer to prevent delays in diagnosis. Education and awareness of skin cancer across all skin types may be key to reducing disparities.
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What Are The Survival Rates For Scc
The vast majority of SCC is cured. Only about 2 percent to 5 percent of SCC cases grow back or spread. Unfortunately, because cases of SCC are not reported to the U.S. cancer registry it is hard to estimate survival rates. It is clear that metastatic SCC is very difficult to treat. . In large groups of people studied who have distant metastatic SCC, about 70 percent died from their disease.14,15
Q: What Other Skin Cancer Warning Signs Are Different In Skin Of Color
About 50 percent of basal cell carcinomas are pigmented in darker-skinned patients. If you look at the typical photos of BCCs used in educational materials most of which focus on fair skin youll see a pink, pearly growth that may or may not be crusted. What youll almost never see is an image of a brown, slightly translucent lesion. Yet about half of BCCs in darker-skinned patients are brown, or pigmented, and thus easier to miss.
A basal cell carcinoma may be pigmented, like this one, on skin of color.
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Which Race Has The Best Facial Features
Race is usually associated with biology and linked with physical characteristics, such as hair texture or skin color and covers a relatively narrow range of options. Yet people of similar complexions/hair textures can be defined as different races, and definitions in the United States have changed over time what dog breeds have silky coats? Besides, what dog breeds have silky coats? Dogs With Silky Coats Breeds with silky coats include Afghan Hound, Chinese Crested , Cocker Spaniel, Irish Setter, Silky Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier .. Are eggs good for dogs? Eggs are a great source of very digestible.
Breast Cancer Risks By Race/ethnicity
Across the board, breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer for women in the United States. However, according to 2011-2015 data reported by Susan G. Komen, incidence rates vary by racial group. White women are most likely to develop breast cancer, followed by black and Asian/Pacific Islander women. Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native women have the lowest incidence rates.
Even though white women are more likely to get breast cancer, black women are more likely to get more aggressive forms. Theyre also more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age.
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Melanoma Of The Skin Statistics
The Melanoma Dashboard provides state and local data to help communities address their unique melanoma prevention needs.
Skin cancer is the most commonexternal icon form of cancer in the United States. Central cancer registries collect data on melanoma of the skin and nonepithelial skin cancers such a Merkel cell carcinoma. Data on basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the most common types of skin cancer, are not normally collected by central cancer registries.
An examination of Medical Expenditure Panel Survey dataexternal icon suggests that each year, about 4.3 million adults are treated for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas at a cost of about $4.8 billion.
Skin Color Is Not Race Discover Magazin
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Skin Color And Skin Cancer
The three most common skin cancers are:
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Melanoma
Getting too much ultraviolet light is linked to all of these cancers. But it is just one cause and may not even be a factor in melanoma in people of color. Some other things that can raise your risk of skin cancer are:
- Skin conditions that lead to scarring or chronic swelling and redness, like discoid lupus
- An infection that doesn’t heal
- Injury, such as a bad bruise or burn
- Having moles, especially on the palms, soles of your feet, and mouth
What Age Does Skin Cancer Commonly Develop
The older you get, the higher your chance for developing skin cancer. About half of all Americans will develop either BCC or SCC at least once by the time theyre 65. The average age of a melanoma diagnosis is 63, notes the American Cancer Society.
But melanoma is also one of the most frequently occurring cancers in young adults, especially women. Overall, melanoma occurs more frequently in women than in men before age 50. By age 65, twice as many men than women have melanoma. Rates triple by age 80.
Long-term exposure to the suns UV rays increases a persons chances of developing skin cancer. Artificial UV light, as found in indoor tanning beds, is also a culprit. It accounts for approximately of skin cancer each year in the United States, estimates a 2014 review and meta-analysis.
The Skin Cancer Foundation goes on to report that indoor tanning beds account for:
- 245,000 cases of BCC
- 168,000 cases of SCC
- 6,200 cases of melanoma
Any history of tanning bed use increases the risk of BCC before age 40 by 69 percent.
Although were more educated and aware of skin cancer risks, the number of new cases has been climbing for 30 years even among younger Americans. In the United States, cases of BCC and SCC among men and women under age 40 are increasing. New cases in children are also on the rise.
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Interactive Statistics With Seer*explorer
With SEER*Explorer, you can…
- Create custom graphs and tables
SEER*Explorer is an interactive website that provides easy access to a wide range of SEER cancer statistics. It provides detailed statistics for a cancer site by gender, race, calendar year, age, and for a selected number of cancer sites, by stage and histology.
What Causes Skin Cancer In Black People
In general, skin cancer is caused by genetic changes that occur in the DNA of our cells. Sometimes, these changes can be harmful, causing cells to begin to grow and divide out of control.
UV radiation from the sun can cause damage to DNA. Because of this, frequent exposure to UV rays in the form of sunlight or UV lamps is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer.
However, not all types of skin cancer may be linked to sun exposure. Indeed, some skin cancers in Black people occur in areas that arent exposed to much sunlight, such as the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, and nails.
This type of skin cancer is called acral lentiginous melanoma . Some dermatologists have reported that ALM makes up 30 to 70 percent of melanomas seen in People of Color visiting their practice.
Doctors dont yet know what causes ALM. However, its believed that genetic factors may play a role.
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Can Other People Of Color Get Skin Cancer
Its possible for other People of Color to develop skin cancer as well. Its associated with the same types of risks as in Black people.
Compared with white people, the rate of skin cancer in other People of Color is lower. However, its higher than in Black people. For example, according to data from the CDC, in 2018 there were:
- 5 melanoma cases per 100,000 Native American or Alaska Native people
- 4 melanoma cases per 100,000 Latino people
- 1 melanoma cases per 100,000 Asian and Pacific Islander people
There are several types of skin cancer. Its possible that some types may be more common in certain People of Color than in others.
Who Gets Melanoma
Author: Vanessa Ngan, Staff Writer Copy Editor: Clare Morrison Chief Editor: Dr Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, October 2013. About Melanoma is sponsored by the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated.
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App to facilitate skin self-examination and early detection. Read more.
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Can Scc Be Cured
When SCC is found earlyand most aretreatment usually cures this cancer.7 The first choice of treatment is to remove the tumor. Excision or Mohs surgery are used to treat SCCs that are higher risk for recurrence. Mohs surgery offers the highest cure rate for SCC. About 92 percent of SCC can be cured with excision. Curettage and electrodesiccation cures 96% of low-risk tumors.12,13
Having one SCC increases your risk of another separate SCC, so regular follow-up examinations are important.