Melanoma treatment delays increased in Asian American, Pacific Islander patients
Source: Healio, June 2023
Key takeaways:
- Asian American and Pacific Islander patients have a longer time to melanoma treatment compared with white patients.
- Decreasing disparities in melanoma treatment should be explored.
Asian American and Pacific Islander patients are more likely to experience melanoma treatment delays compared with white patients, and these delays are associated with higher mortality rates, according to a study.
“Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) patients with melanoma have a longer time from diagnosis to definitive surgery (TTDS) than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients and would thus benefit from interventions to reduce delays,” Lauren Fane, BSE, a medical student at Case Western University School of Medicine and the study’s lead author, told Healio. “A longer TTDS is associated with decreased survival.”