title: Cutaneous melanoma in African-Americans.
abstract: Although cutaneous melanoma is rare in African-Americans, it continues to have a poor prognosis. We reviewed our experience with 13 African-American patients who had cutaneous melanoma diagnosed between 1969 and 1990. Eight of these 13 lesions were on the foot. These lesions were seen at a late stage, and 50% of them were more than 3 mm in thickness. Nine of these 13 patients had recurrent disease. This series of patients had a 92% 1-year and a 61% actuarial 5-year survival, with a median follow-up of 45 months. This study emphasizes the need for awareness of the occurrence of this disease in the African-American population in an effort to reduce the mortality from cutaneous melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vayer
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Lefor
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000592:standards; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People; D010478:Chemotherapy, Cancer, Regional Perfusion / Q000592:standards; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000592:standards; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D001741:Black or African American