African Americans Suffrage Increases due to Skin Cancer Diagnoses
By: Elise Barnes
Issue date: 2/2/10 Section: Nation/World
Many people know that Caucasians often get skin cancer because of tanning beds and being exposed to the sun. But African-Americans are dying from this disease faster because of a delayed diagnosis.
Melanoma, also known as "black mole cancer" is the deadliest form of skin cancer. The reason it is so deadly is because once it grows to a certain thickness, it spreads throughout the body. Melanoma is more common in whites but the most serious form of skin cancer is more deadly in African-Americans and Hispanics because it is often undetected.
African-Americans are over three times as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma after it reaches a later stage. Obviously, the later the diagnosis, the harder the chance for survival. With later diagnosis, the survival rate is between 15 and 65 percent.
One of the reasons African-Americans are failing to see the early signs of skin cancer is because they have less access to medical care. Another reason is because doctors do not evaluate for skin cancer in African-Americans as they would for other races because it is thought of as uncommon. There is a lack of awareness, which unfortunately leads to an untimely death.
According to MSNBC.com, the disease is more likely to occur in more light-skinned people. People who are darker skinned are somewhat protected from the sun's UV rays but it is still important to apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF protection when going outside.
Because of darker people's melanin (skin pigment), the number of African-Americans with melanoma is low, the melanin alone of an African-American person is equivalent to SPF 13 sunscreen. Some risk factors for skin cancer with African-Americans is also pre-existing conditions and scars.
Throughout the United States, a low 2 percent of African-Americans were diagnosed, but in places that are warm year-round, such as the Miami-Dade area, 20 percent of the cases were African-Americans. Because Florida is so warm, it is the state with the most skin cancer diagnoses.
What can people do to prevent this? They can protect themselves with sunscreen and have yearly skin exams. Just because the doctors do not check for it, does not mean you do not have it. Nobody is immune from skin cancer, so it is important to take these precautions before it is too late.
Melanoma, also known as "black mole cancer" is the deadliest form of skin cancer. The reason it is so deadly is because once it grows to a certain thickness, it spreads throughout the body. Melanoma is more common in whites but the most serious form of skin cancer is more deadly in African-Americans and Hispanics because it is often undetected.
African-Americans are over three times as likely to be diagnosed with melanoma after it reaches a later stage. Obviously, the later the diagnosis, the harder the chance for survival. With later diagnosis, the survival rate is between 15 and 65 percent.
One of the reasons African-Americans are failing to see the early signs of skin cancer is because they have less access to medical care. Another reason is because doctors do not evaluate for skin cancer in African-Americans as they would for other races because it is thought of as uncommon. There is a lack of awareness, which unfortunately leads to an untimely death.
According to MSNBC.com, the disease is more likely to occur in more light-skinned people. People who are darker skinned are somewhat protected from the sun's UV rays but it is still important to apply sunscreen or a moisturizer with SPF protection when going outside.
Because of darker people's melanin (skin pigment), the number of African-Americans with melanoma is low, the melanin alone of an African-American person is equivalent to SPF 13 sunscreen. Some risk factors for skin cancer with African-Americans is also pre-existing conditions and scars.
Throughout the United States, a low 2 percent of African-Americans were diagnosed, but in places that are warm year-round, such as the Miami-Dade area, 20 percent of the cases were African-Americans. Because Florida is so warm, it is the state with the most skin cancer diagnoses.
What can people do to prevent this? They can protect themselves with sunscreen and have yearly skin exams. Just because the doctors do not check for it, does not mean you do not have it. Nobody is immune from skin cancer, so it is important to take these precautions before it is too late.
