title: Melanoma: differences between Asian and Caucasian patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous melanoma is rare in Asia and the clinical presentation and outcome of melanoma is not well described in Southeast Asia. In addition, it is unclear if ethnic variations exist between the various racial groups. The objective of our study is to present the clinical characteristics of melanoma in Singapore and to highlight ethnical differences between Asians and Caucasians living in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were retrospectively collected from 48 patients with histological confirmation of melanoma who were seen in both the National Skin Centre and National Cancer Centre of Singapore.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) was the most common subtype of melanoma in Singapore (50%). A higher proportion of non-ALM subtypes of melanoma compared to ALM were diagnosed at stage 1 (48% vs. 25%). The delay in diagnosis of ALM was 27 months compared to 12 months in other subtypes. Compared to Caucasians, there was a trend towards Asian patients being older, having a higher proportion of ALM and a longer delay to diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Geographical and ethnic variations in the clinical presentation of melanoma exist. Specially adapted programmes are necessary to increase awareness of the different clinical presentation of melanoma in Asia and to encourage examination of the palms and soles in order to reduce the delay in diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Unit, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Haur Yueh
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wen Yee
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chay
authors.forename: Mark By
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Martin Tw
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Chio
authors.forename: Suat Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000473:pathology*; D044465:White People