Hispanic Skin Cancer: Foundation Raises Awareness With Launch Of Spanish-Language Website

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States--more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined--and it doesn't discriminate in age, gender, or race. Hispanics are one of the ethnic minorities that are gravely misinformed about their risk potential, as many believe they are immune to the damage effects of the sunrays. Some studies have even found an increase in melanoma among Hispanics. One study in particular found that the incidence of melanoma in the Hispanic community has increased by 19 percent from 1992 to 2008.

“There is a critical need to arm the Hispanic community with the education and tools they need to practice sun safety,” said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. “Skin cancer is largely a disease stemming from certain behaviors, and it can be easily prevented with proper sun protection measures.”

In this context, The Skin Cancer Foundation is bringing potentially life-saving skin cancer information to Hispanic-Americans through a new public education program comprised of skin cancer prevention and sun protection messages. This comes at a crucial time – skin cancer rates among Hispanic-Americans, the fastest-growing population in the country, are skyrocketing. New research shows that in the past two decades alone, melanoma incidence among US Hispanics has risen almost 20 percent.

"There is a misconception in the Hispanic population that they are immune to skin cancer because of their skin, and thus, they are not prone to it," said Maritza Perez, MD, Senior Vice President, The Skin Cancer Foundation to Latin Times. "Another reason is that there is not enough information from the health care providers for those patients and if there is, then the patients don't get the information themselves. So it is both the misconception and the lack of information that results in a higher incidence amongst the Hispanic population."

The Foundation is committed to educating this very important audience on how to prevent skin cancer. The cornerstone of the awareness program is a robust Spanish-language website, CancerdePiel.org. The launch of the website, which is made possible through funding from Target, is designed to provide the Hispanic community with a valuable and trusted resource.

"Not only is there material information being translated into Spanish for the Hispanic population," adds Dr. Perez about The Foundation's efforts to combat melanoma in the Hispanic community, "but also now there is a website that is addressing the problem directly in Spanish. Making all this information available for the public was not just enough -- now there is a website that will address the problems in their own language on the web."

CancerdePiel.org features 50 pages of medically-reviewed content on skin cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. Site visitors can take advantage of articles on the different types of skin cancer, the dangers of tanning and skin cancer in skin of color, among many other topics. The Skin Cancer Foundation is also bringing Spanish-language printed materials on sun protection and skin cancer prevention to the public via physicians and their practices. Content includes skin cancer warning signs, how to conduct a self-exam and prevention tips. Additionally, the Foundation is working to distribute skin cancer-related content to Hispanic-American community organizations and media outlets.

It is crucial to understand the risk factors and what Hispanics can do to protect themselves, as research has shown that once diagnosed with melanoma, Hispanics have poorer survival outcomes than their non-Hispanic white peers. The reason being is that Hispanics are often diagnosed at a later stage. Scientists believe that a late diagnosis is a direct result of less access to care, less awareness of skin cancer, or a combination of both factors.

In fact, a 2013 study conducted by researchers at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) concludes that there is a lack of skin cancer prevention interventions targeting the Hispanic community. The study, published in the journal JAMA Dermatology, found that more research needs to be conducted to customize interventions amongst the community and more efforts need to be made emphasizing public health education.

The Skin Cancer Foundation has received support from Target over the past three years to educate the public on the importance of proper sun protection and skin cancer awareness.