Melanoma Fatality Rates: Disproportionate Burden in Asia and Africa Despite Lower Incidence

Although many countries have a relatively low incidence of melanoma, their proportion of melanoma fatalities can be disproportionate, particularly in regions such as Asia and Africa, where case fatality rates are higher. In a cohort study using the SEER database, Zheng et al. 1 found that Asians and Pacific Islanders, who have a significantly lower risk of developing melanoma compared to Caucasians, have lower overall and disease-specific survival rates due to delayed diagnosis and treatment.