There are few studies available on melanoma in Afro‐Caribbean and Amerindian populations of South America. French Guiana deserves a survey due to its specific health system and diversity of phototypes. This study’s objectives were to evaluate the incidence, histological, and clinical characteristics of melanoma in French Guiana. A retrospective study was conducted from October 2007 to January 2018 on all primary melanomas observed at the Cayenne Hospital Centre. Thirty‐nine patients were included. The researchers compared the incidence rate low with mainland France.
The average age was 58, and the gender ratio 1: 16. Clear phototype patients were the most frequent, but a significant amount of melanoma also occurred in darker skin. Median Breslow was higher in the dark phototypes than in fair‐skinned patients. Superficial spreading melanoma or SSM was the most common histological type, particularly in patients with clear phototype. Acral lentiginous melanoma was found only in darker‐skinned patients (29.1%). The trunk was 66.6% in the most specific group, whereas the foot was the most common in the darkest group (60% in V/VI phototypes). Surgery was the most frequently used treatment (79.5%). At the end of the study period, 53.8% had been lost to follow‐up. In conclusion, the incidence of melanoma in French Guiana is lower than in mainland France but remains a public health concern, as dark‐skinned populations often present with advanced diseases.
Ref: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijd.14961
