Primary Cutaneous Melanoma in Black Patients: An Analysis of 2,464 Cases from the National Cancer Database 2004-2018

Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2022 Sep 16. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.13065. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Melanoma in Black patients carries a poor prognosis. Due to its rarity, melanoma in this population has not been well characterized. This study evaluates survival predictors in Black patients with melanoma.

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of Black patients with cutaneous melanoma from the National Cancer Database 2004-2018.

RESULTS: Of the 2,464 cases, melanoma was more common among females than males (57.1% vs 42.9%, p<0.001). Median Breslow depth was 1.8 mm (interquartile range (IQR) 0.4-4.4). Lower extremities were the most common location (52.8%), followed by upper extremities (13.1%) along with otherwise specified/overlapping/other (13.1%), then by trunk (11.8%), and lastly head and neck (9.2%). Stage at diagnosis was I (30.7%), II (27.5%), III (24.1%), and IV (17.7%). Ulceration was observed in 41.4% of lesions. Acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) was the most common specific histologic subtype (20.3%), followed by superficial spreading melanoma (9.4%). After adjusting for confounders, higher stages and primary site on the head and neck were the strongest independent predictors of worse overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS: Melanoma in Black patients is most likely to appear on the lower extremities. A large portion (41.8%) presented with stage III or IV disease. ALM was the most common specific histologic subtype.

PMID:36112089 | DOI:10.1111/pcmr.13065