Yeo Pei Ming, Lim Ziying Vanessa, Tan Wei Ding Virlynn, Zhao Xiahong, Chia Hui Yi, Tan Suat Hoon, Teo Melissa Ching Ching, Tan Melissa Wee Ping
National Skin Centre, Singapore.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 2021 Jun;50(6):456-466. doi: 10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.2020535.
Melanomas in Asians have different clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis from melanomas in Caucasians. This study reviewed the epidemiology and treatment outcomes of cutaneous melanoma diagnosed at a tertiary referral dermatology centre in Singapore, which has a multiracial population. The study also determined whether Asians had comparable relapse-free and overall survival periods to Caucasians in Singapore.
This is a retrospective review of cutaneous melanoma cases in our centre between 1996 and 2015.
Sixty-two cases of melanoma were diagnosed in 61 patients: 72.6% occurred in Chinese, 19.4% in Caucasians and 3.2% in Indians, with an over-representation of Caucasians. Superficial spreading melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma and nodular melanoma comprised 37.1%, 35.5% and 22.6% of the cases, respectively. The median time interval to diagnosis was longer in Asians than Caucasians; median Breslow's thickness in Asians were significantly thicker than in Caucasians (2.6mm versus 0.9mm, =0.018) and Asians tend to present at a later stage. The mortality rates for Asians and Caucasians were 52% and 0%, respectively.
More physician and patient education on skin cancer awareness is needed in our Asian-predominant population for better outcomes.
亚洲人的黑色素瘤在临床病理特征和预后方面与白种人的黑色素瘤有所不同。本研究回顾了新加坡一家三级转诊皮肤科中心诊断的皮肤黑色素瘤的流行病学和治疗结果，该中心拥有多民族人口。该研究还确定了亚洲人与新加坡白种人的无复发生存期和总生存期是否具有可比性。
这是对我们中心1996年至2015年间皮肤黑色素瘤病例的回顾性研究。
61例患者中诊断出62例黑色素瘤：72.6%发生在中国人中，19.4%发生在白种人中，3.2%发生在印度人中，白种人占比过高。浅表扩散性黑色素瘤、肢端雀斑样痣性黑色素瘤和结节性黑色素瘤分别占病例的37.1%、35.5%和22.6%。亚洲人诊断的中位时间间隔比白种人长；亚洲人的中位 Breslow 厚度明显厚于白种人（2.6mm 对0.9mm，P = 0.018），且亚洲人往往在较晚阶段出现。亚洲人和白种人的死亡率分别为52%和0%。
在以亚洲人为主的人群中，需要更多关于皮肤癌意识的医生和患者教育，以获得更好的结果。
