Skin cancer: an African perspective

Abstract

SummaryThe objective of this review article is to assess skin cancer and sun protection trends in darker-skinned Africans. The published information suggests that in order to reduce the skin cancer mortality rate amongst people of colour, a broader effort towards public awareness/education is necessary.What's already known about this topic?• There have been review articles published examining skin cancer amongst people of colour in sub-Saharan or north Africa. What does this study add?• This article looks at skin cancer in all of Africa, not just the north or south.• It looks at skin cancer/sun protection practices in Africa.• It examines African skin cancer trends and puts them in a global context. When approaching nonwhite African populations, issues related to skin cancer might not be at the forefront of their minds. Although cutaneous malignancies are not extremely common within this group, mortality rates remain much higher compared with their white counterparts.1 It can be inferred that these discrepant outcomes may be attributed to both late detection and/or biologically more aggressive tumours. In order to prevent future skin cancer-related deaths amongst those with brown skin, teaching all patients, regardless of ethnicity, about sun protection, the importance of skin checks and the risk factors associated with cutaneous malignancy is critical. Sun protection and skin cancer perceptions amongst nonwhite AfricansSkin cancer and disorders of pigmentation make protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays an issue of paramount importance. Is this message getting across to the diverse African population? Although a few published studies have attempted to answer this question, the available data show that much more education is needed. Meziane et al.3 examined the results of a Moroccan public awareness campaign created to teach north-African citizens about the sun's deleterious effects. Four hundred and eleven participants, who varied in age, sex, socioeconomic status, education level and skin type (Fitzpatrick I-V), were surveyed on sun safety. Sixty-four percent of respondents had a 'poor' or 'bad' understanding of solar risk, and the majority of those with skin types IV and V had a 'poor' or 'bad' understanding of solar risk. Fewer than 50% of the participants had ever purchased sunscreen; 75% believed that one application was sufficient for all-day coverage; 15% used hats for sun protection; 19% used sunglasses for sun protection; 32% knew to avoid the sun between 10Á00 and 16Á00 h; and most were not aware of the connection between sun exposure and hyperpigmentation. Women and those with

An Analysis of Biopsies for Suspected Skin Cancer at a Tertiary Care Dermatology Clinic in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

“…Skin cancer prevalence differs in populations of different skin types. BCC is the most common skin cancer in white, Hispanic, and Asian (Japanese and Chinese) populations, as is reflected in this current study, while SCC is the most prevalent skin cancer amongst black and Indian/Asian populations [28,29]. e ratio of BCC's to SCC's in our cohort was 2.03.…”

Trends in mortality rates of cutaneous melanoma in East Asian populations

“…This study demonstrates there was more risk for mortality in men, older aged individuals (60+), and populations with high UV indexes in four East Asian regions. In order to reduce the incidence and mortality of CM, for the public, it is suggested to: (1) reduce UV radiation exposure; (2) increase sun protection; (3) avoid prevalent sunbed use (Wallingford et al, 2013); (4) increase public awareness/education (Buster et al, 2012; Gohara, 2015); and (5) adopt screening and early diagnosis practices (Boniol, Autier & Gandini, 2015; Crocetti et al, 2015; Tryggvadottir et al, 2010). …”

Sunburn and sun protection in black skin

“…Sun protection not only protects against sunburn and reduces the risk of skin cancer but can help in the management of disorders of pigmentation, such as vitiligo, albinism, melasma, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which are a common problem and can cause significant distress in people with darker skin. 11 The main limitation of this study is the self-report of sunburn and use of sun protection. A further shortcoming is sampling bias, in that only people with access to social media were able to participate in the survey.…”

“…Sun protection not only protects against sunburn and reduces the risk of skin cancer but can help in the management of disorders of pigmentation, such as vitiligo, albinism, melasma, and post‐inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which are a common problem and can cause significant distress in people with darker skin …”