title: Melanoma in skin of color in Connecticut: an analysis of melanoma incidence and stage at diagnosis in non-Hispanic blacks, non-Hispanic whites, and Hispanics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of melanoma is increasing in Caucasians and in Hispanic subgroups in California and Florida. There is a paucity of information regarding melanoma incidence, stage at diagnosis, and other patient and tumor factors among minority subgroups in the northeast USA. This report examines melanoma in non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic residents of Connecticut.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trends in age-adjusted melanoma incidence rates (1992-2007) and the corresponding annual percentage changes in rates were calculated for Connecticut residents by race and Hispanic ethnicity. The racial/ethnic variation was evaluated for a number of patient and tumor characteristics: gender, age at diagnosis, marital status, anatomic site, histology, ulceration, Breslow thickness, and stage at diagnosis. Statistical significance at the 95% level was assessed using confidence intervals (95% CIs) and Pearson's chi-squared tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between 1992 and 2007, melanoma incidence increased by 4.1% per year in non-Hispanic whites in Connecticut (95% CI 3.1-5.1%; P<0.05). Melanoma incidence remained relatively stable for Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks over the same period. A significantly higher proportion of advanced (regional and distant) melanomas were diagnosed in non-Hispanic blacks (19.1%) and Hispanics (17.1%) than in non-Hispanic whites (8.7%) (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significantly higher proportion of advanced melanomas were diagnosed in non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics than in non-Hispanic whites. There is a growing need to educate patients and healthcare providers of the necessity for skin cancer surveillance regardless of the race of the patient.
authors: Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, CT, USA.
authors: MariMeg
authors: M
authors: Clairwood
authors: Janelle
authors: J
authors: Ricketts
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Grant-Kels
authors: Lou
authors: L
authors: Gonsalves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D006615:Hip; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015994:Incidence; D017533:Marital Status; D008545:Melanoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012737:Sex Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D060726:Torso; D000095223:White / Q000706:statistics & numerical data