title: Racial differences in melanoma incidence.
abstract: The incidences of malignant melanoma recorded by 59 population-based cancer registries were investigated to determine the effects of racial and skin-colour differences. White populations exhibited a wide range of melanoma incidences and females commonly, though not invariably, had a higher incidence than males. Non-white populations experienced in general a much lower incidence of melanoma although there was some overlap of white and non-white rates. No predominant sex difference emerged among non-whites. Populations of African descent were found to have a higher incidence than those of Asiatic origin, but it was concluded that this was due largely to the high frequency of tumours among Africans on the sole of the foot. A clear negative correlation between degree of skin pigmentation and melanoma incidence emerged for the exposed body sites. These data provide strong support for the hypotheses that UV radiation is a major cause of malignant melanoma and that melanin pigmentation protects against it. Further research is required to elucidate the aetiology of melanoma of the sole of the foot.
mesh_terms: D001132:Arm; D044466:Asian People; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D044465:White People