Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers Among Hispanic and Asian Patients Compared With White Patients in the United States: A 5-Year, Single-Institution Retrospective Review.

BACKGROUND: Nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the most common malignancy in the United States. Although historically most cases occurred in whites, in recent years, NMSC incidence in Hispanics and Asians has increased. As Hispanics and Asians are the 2 fastest growing groups in the United States, the NMSC rise in these populations is concerning. Currently, data on clinical characteristics of NMSCs in these minorities are limited, and a thorough analysis of risk differences among Hispanic, Asian, and white patients is lacking.
OBJECTIVE: To assess differences in NMSC prevalence, risk factors, and clinical presentation among Hispanic, Asian, and white populations at University of California San Diego Dermatologic and Mohs Micrographic Surgery Center.
METHODS: Five-year retrospective chart review.
RESULTS: Of 4,029 NMSC cases, 3,881 (96.3%) were in whites, 115 (2.9%) were in Hispanics, and 33 (0.8%) were in Asians. Most cases in whites occurred in men, whereas this gender ratio was reversed for Hispanics and Asians. Hispanics had significantly more cases occurring in the "central face."
CONCLUSION: The rise of NMSCs in Hispanic and Asians, especially among women, is concerning given that they are the fastest growing ethnic populations in the United States. It is important that proper counseling for photoprotection be stressed to these populations.