Melanoma often missed on darker skin

Melanoma, which accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers, causes the majority of skin cancer deaths. Although this cancer is found much more often in people with light complexions, a Mayo Clinic study reveals that when melanoma is diagnosed in people with Black or brown skin, it’s frequently detected later — often once it has spread.

The study, published in the Journal of Surgical Oncology, analyzed the health information of almost 500,000 U.S. adults with melanoma. The data showed that white adults had melanomas that were located largely on the trunk, head or neck, whereas Black adults tended to have more melanoma on the arms, legs, hands or feet. In addition, Black adults were three times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer that had spread to nearby lymph nodes or other tissues close to the melanoma. This is referred to as stage 3 melanoma.

Outcomes also differed based on sex. The research found that Black women with melanoma fared better than Black men did. Men tended to be older at diagnosis and were more likely to have cancer that had spread to their lymph nodes compared with women. This translated to worse survival rates. Black men with stage 3 melanoma had only a 42% chance of surviving for five years, compared with 71% for Black women.