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Melanoma increasing among Hispanic men, black women in Florida

Source: HemOncToday

A review of patient information collected in the Florida Cancer Data System showed that the incidence of melanoma has increased 20% among Hispanic men and 60% among black women when compared with data collected in the nationwide SEER database.

Conversely, Hispanic women living in Florida were 30% less likely to develop melanoma compared with nationwide trends.

Researchers reviewed data from 73,206 patients in the SEER database and 36,427 patients collected in the Florida Cancer Data System.

Between 1992 and 2004, age-adjusted incidence rates of melanoma per 100,000 person-years among non-Hispanic whites in SEER increased 1.5-fold, from 18.2 in 1992 to 26.3 in 2004. Incidence increased 1.5-fold for blacks during that same period, 0.5 to 0.8, and 1.2-fold for Hispanics, from 3.5 to 4.1.

In Florida, during that same period, age-adjusted incidence rates of melanoma per 100,000 person-years among non-Hispanic whites increased 1.5-fold, from 15.3 to 22.4. For Hispanics, incidence of melanoma increased 1.1-fold, from 3.7 to 4.0. Incidence stayed about the same for black patients, 0.9 in 1992 vs. 1.0 in 2004.

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