Men’s Health Facts: Black Men & Skin Cancer

Risks
>According to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), black men have the lowest 5-year survival rate of melanoma.
-black men’s 5-year survival rate was recorded at 51.7%
-white men’s 5-year survival rate was recorded at 75.1%

>Also according to CDC, black men have a higher risk of death from melanoma.
-white men are more likely to get melanoma
-black men, however, have a 26% higher risk of death from melanoma than the white population

Timing Of Diagnosis
>Timing is important. The sooner you find out about the cancer, the easier it is to remove. Doing so, raises the chances of survival.
-When caught early-in stage 1 or 2-a melanoma lesion can be surgically removed because the cancer hasn’t yet spread to a person’s lymph nodes or distant organs.
-But later diagnosis involves more invasive treatments like immunotherapy or chemo, and it also cuts the chances of survival.

>The study showed that black men were diagnosed a lot later than white men, lowering the survival rates.
-nearly half of black men were diagnosed when the disease was already in an advanced stage
-in comparison, about 1-in-5 white men were diagnosed when the disease was in an advanced stage.

Causes
Then the question arises: why are black men being diagnosed so late compared to other races?

>It turns out that melanoma presents differently in black men than it does with everyone else.
-every other group of people were more likely to have superficial melanoma (the most common type, characterized by skin lesions).
-black men were more likely to have acral melanoma (which occurs on the hands or feet).

>According to Ashley Wysong (chair of the department of dermatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center), men were less likely to have access to medical care.
-black men were less likely to have private insurance.
-men were less likely than women to seek medical care.

>Wysong also added that there could be trouble identifying the disease.
-melanoma patients with darker skin often mistake their cancer for other skin conditions, which delays the care and definitive treatment.

Soultions
So now we know the risks of the disease, the dangers of not recognizing the signs earlier, and the possible reasons black men are a large target. Are there any solutions? Well, there are a few.

>Ashley Wysong recommends that people go to a board-certified dermatologist if they notice any lesions on the skin that are new, bleeding or not healing.

>There are 3 places that black men should check for melanoma.
-the soles on your feet
-the palms of your hands
-nails and nailbeds
-darker skin tones make you less likely to attract skin cancer, which is why they can be in those 3 areas where melanin is less prevalent.

Conclusion
Although black men are at a higher risk of death from skin cancer, men of all races are at risk of it. Melanoma can form anywhere on the body. That includes the inside of your mouth or on your eyeballs. So, stay safe. Look for any signs of skin conditions. Visit your local hospital for checkups if you find anything abnormal about your body. Be prepared for the possibility of having a disease and communicate with your doctor on how to treat it. Eventually, with your assistance, we’ll be able to raise the survival rate of melanoma.

Source (s)
Science Direct
Insider
NBC News