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Background: Minimal knowledge exists regarding skin cancers in Black individuals, which may adversely affect patient care. Objectives: To describe clinical features and risk factors of skin cancers in Black individuals.   Methods: Retrospective study of Black individuals diagnosed with skin cancer between January 2000 and January 2020 at our institution. Results: 38,589 patients were diagnosed with skin cancer, of which 165 were Black.  One-hundred-thirteen of these Black individuals were diagnosed with melanoma, 35 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 17 with basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Most melanomas (80.0%, n=90) were of the acral subtype; 75% (6 of 8 cases with dermoscopic images) displayed a parallel ridge pattern (PRP). The surrounding uninvolved background skin was visible in 7 cases, all demonstrating a PRP. This disappeared adjacent to most of the melanoma lesions (n=4, 57.1%) – creating a peripheral hypopigmented “halo”. The nonmelanoma skin cancers were pigmented and had similar dermoscopic features as reported in predominantly white populations. Most SCCs (n=5, 71.4%) had a hypopigmented “halo” and most BCCs (n=10, 55.6%) had an accentuated reticular network adjacent to the lesions. Most (80.0%, n=28) SCC patients had a chronic inflammatory condition. Two BCC patients (16.7%) had Gorlin syndrome. Conclusions: Skin cancers are pigmented in Black individuals. In both ALMs and SCCs, we noted a peripheral rim of hypopigmentation between the lesions and the surrounding uninvolved background skin, while BCCs had accentuation of the background pigmentation adjacent to the lesions. Most acral melanomas displayed a PRP, which was also seen in surrounding uninvolved background skin.

uncover sensitive areas. Indeed, involvement of the genital region was more often observed in patients with earlier age of onset (≤ 14 years) (55%) than in those with a middle or late adolescent age of onset (22%, P = 0Á015), independently of sex.Family history of HS has been identified as a factor influencing the severity of disease. 8 We observed that patients with a positive family history had higher International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Score System (IHS4) scores (positive family history vs. sporadic HS: median 11Á5 years, IQR 7-18 vs. 6, IQR 4-10; P = 0Á038), but no differences based on sex, age of onset or diagnostic delay were detected.It is recognized that delayed start of biologic therapies affects treatment efficacy. 8 Overall the treatment strategies were similar among the different subgroups, suggesting that patients with earlier diagnosis underwent proper treatment strategies sooner than patients with longer delay, leading to a reduced number of affected sites and lower IHS4 scores.Given the very high burden of HS in the daily life of patients, we identified clinical features that could delay or are associated with delayed diagnosis. These data are relevant if we consider as primary goals disease modification and a reduction of cumulative life course impairment. This is especially important in younger patients, who are at risk of more severe disease and longer cumulative life course impairment due to longer time to diagnosis.

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a noninvasive, in-vivo, imaging modality used to diagnose and manage skin cancers, benign skin neoplasms, and inflammatory dermatoses. Although previously considered an academic tool, the increasing number of available RCM resources make it necessary for dermatology physician assistants to expand their knowledge base within this field.