title: Cutaneous malignant melanoma among white Hispanics and non-Hispanics in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether disparities exist in melanoma incidence and prognosis between White Hispanics and White non-Hispanics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyses were based on 42,770 patients with malignant melanoma in the United States, 2004 through 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hispanics were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with superficial spreading melanoma or Hutchinson's melanotic freckle, but significantly more likely to be diagnosed with nodular melanoma or acral lentiginous melanoma. Hispanics were also significantly less likely to have multiple primary cancers and less likely to receive surgical treatment. Among those diagnosed during the study period, 12.4% (n = 142) of Hispanic patients and 8.5% (n = 3,235) of non-Hispanic patients died sometime during these years. Approximately 7.3% of Hispanic patients and 4.8% of non-Hispanic patients died specifically from melanoma. Later stage at diagnosis was the primary explanation for the difference in death from melanoma between Hispanic and non-Hispanic Whites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hispanic melanoma patients experience significantly poorer prognostic findings at diagnosis. The disparity in melanoma stage, tumor depth, and ulcerated tumors at diagnosis emphasizes the need for greater secondary prevention efforts among this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, 229-A Richards Building, Provo, Utah 84602, USA. Ray_Merrill@byu.edu
authors.forename: Ray M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.forename: Nelson D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Pace
authors.forename: Ashley N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Elison
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D018327:Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle / Q000208:ethnology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018426:SEER Program; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult