Increasing rates of melanoma among nonwhites in Florida compared with the United States.
OBJECTIVE
To compare melanoma trends within Florida with national melanoma trends from 1992 through 2004. An analysis of state and national melanoma trends is critical for the identification of high-risk regions of the country.


METHODS
Data from the Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS) and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) were evaluated to determine age-adjusted and race/ethnicity- and sex-specific invasive cutaneous melanoma incidence trends for 1992 through 2004 using joinpoint regression analysis. Standardized incidence rate ratios (SIRRs) were computed to compare Florida with the United States.


METHODS
A population of 109 633 patients with invasive melanoma was evaluated: 73 206 (66.8%) from SEER and 36 427 (33.2%) from FCDS.


METHODS
Melanoma incidence and change in melanoma rates over time.


RESULTS
The incidence of melanoma among male Hispanic patients residing in Florida was 20% higher than that of their male counterparts in the SEER catchment areas (SIRR, 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.4). Conversely, the incidence of melanoma among female Hispanic patients residing in Florida was significantly lower than that in SEER (SIRR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.7-0.8). Differences in melanoma incidence were identified in female non-Hispanic black (NHB) patients in Florida who had a 60% significantly higher incidence of melanoma compared with female NHB patients in SEER (SIRR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2.0).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest an emerging public health concern in race/ethnic subgroups that were previously understudied.
Rouhani
Panta
P
Department of Dermatology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Pinheiro
Paulo S
PS
Sherman
Recinda
R
Arheart
Kris
K
Fleming
Lora E
LE
Mackinnon
J
J
Kirsner
Robert S
RS
D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000208:ethnology*; D011634:Public Health / Q000639:trends*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D018426:SEER Program / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology