Black people can arm themselves against melanoma with better education around how to reduce their risk as well as recognize early signs of the disease.
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. It can spread to other parts of the body and causes over 9,000 deaths every year, according to the CDC. Melanoma can be caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sun or sources such as indoor tanning.
Without additional prevention efforts, melanoma will continue to increase in the next 15 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Darker-skinned people have relatively low risk of melanoma compared to Whites. Although the disease is uncommon in people of color, Black people and Hispanics are more often diagnosed with more advanced melanomas, and they often have higher mortality than Whites.
Researchers believe education could lead Black people to get skin checks from their doctors more regularly. They also hope better education will help health care providers spot potential skin cancers faster.
But individuals should empower themselves to learn what is—and isn’t—true about melanoma. Here are a few facts to clear up some common misconceptions about melanoma and skin cancer in general:
Misconception #1: People with darker skin don’t get melanoma.
Fact: While people with lighter skin and eye color are at higher risk of developing melanoma, anyone can get melanoma regardless of race or color. The lifetime risk of 1 in 1,000 for Black people, 1 in 167 for Hispanics, and 1 in 38 for Whites, according to the American Cancer Society. Research has shown that patients with skin of color are less likely than White patients to survive melanoma. Melanoma does not discriminate by age, race, or gender.
Misconception #2: Melanoma looks the same in all skin types.
Fact: On white skin, melanoma most commonly presents on the back or on the lower legs as a dark spot that is changing colors or growing. But people with pigmented skin get melanoma in different locations like the palms, the soles of the feet, the lips, and the fingernails. Reggae music legend Bob Marley, for example, had a type of melanoma that appeared first under the nail of his big toe where there’s less pigment.
Misconception #3: You need chronic sun exposure for years to develop melanoma.
Fact: Nearly 90% of melanomas are thought to be caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight. Increasing intermittent sun exposure in childhood and during one’s lifetime is associated with an increased risk of melanoma. So even if a person doesn’t currently sunbathe, it only takes one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age, to double a person’s risk of developing melanoma
later in life. Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between 15 and 20 increases one’s melanoma risk by 80%.
Misconception #4: All you need is SPF 50 to keep you protected.
Fact: The SPF number is actually not as important as the amount of sunscreen, and how well and how often you put it on your body. SPF 30 absorbs 97% of the sun’s burning UV rays, while SPF 50 absorbs just slightly more—98%. So choose a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Also, avoid sun exposure as much as possible during the middle of the day between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, when UV rays are at their strongest. Be sure to reapply frequently, especially if you’ve been swimming.
Misconception #5: Black people don’t need regular screening for melanoma or any other skin cancers.
Fact: Everyone, regardless of skin color, should see a dermatologist regularly, depending on their family history and skin type. For people of color, some medical professionals recommend a baseline screening around age 20. If there are no concerns, have a follow-up appointment every 2-3 years. And any concerns should be brought to a dermatologist; general practitioners usually lack sufficient training to accurately determine what’s actually melanoma, and what is a benign growth or something that just looks like melanoma.
With melanoma projected to increase over time, researchers are working hard to develop more options, such as those being examined in Bristol Myers Squibb’s clinical research program.
