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Among women with invasive breast cancer, being insured and having access to medical care does not eliminate the survival disparity for African American women.

Cancer registries usually exclude nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), despite the large population affected. Health maintenance organization (HMO) and health system administrative databases could be used as sampling frames for ascertaining NMSC. NMSC patients diagnosed between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 2007, from such defined US populations were identified by using 3 algorithms: NMSC International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, NMSC treatment Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, or both codes. A subset of charts was reviewed to verify NMSC diagnosis, including all records from HMO-enrollee members in 2007. Positive predictive values for NMSC ascertainment were calculated. Analyses of data from 1988-2007 ascertained 11,742 NMSC patients. A random sample of 965 cases was selected for chart review, and NMSCs were validated in 47.0% of ICD-9-CM-identified patients, 73.4% of CPT-identified patients, and 94.9% identified with both codes. All charts from HMO-health plan enrollees in 2007 were reviewed (n = 1,116). Cases of NMSC were confirmed in 96.5% of ICD-9-CM-identified patients, 98.3% of CPT-identified patients, and 98.7% identified with both codes. HMO administrative data can be used to ascertain NMSC with high positive predictive values with either ICD-9-CM or CPT code, but both codes may be necessary among non-HMO patient populations.

To examine the association of serum 25hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) with the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), defined as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).

Background Many allergic conditions occur more frequently in African-American patients when compared with white patients; however it is not known whether this represents genetic predisposition or disparate environmental exposures. Objective To assess the relationship of self-reported race and genetic ancestry to allergic sensitization. Methods We included 601 women enrolled in a population-based cohort study whose self-reported race was African-American or white. Genetic ancestry was estimated using markers that differentiate West African and European ancestry. We assessed the relationship between allergic sensitization (defined as ≥1 allergen-specific IgE result) and both self-reported race and genetic ancestry. Regression models adjusted for socio-demographic variables, environmental exposures, and location of residence. Results The average proportion of West African ancestry in African-American participants was 0.69, whereas the mean proportion of European ancestry in white participants was 0.79. Self-reported African-American race was associated with allergic sensitization when compared with those who reported being white (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22 – 3.93) even after adjusting for other variables. Genetic ancestry was not significantly associated with allergic sensitization after accounting for location of residence (aOR 2.09 for urban vs. suburban residence, 95% CI 1.32 −3.31). Conclusion Self-reported race and location of residence appeared to be more important predictors of allergic sensitization when compared with genetic ancestry, suggesting that the disparity in allergic sensitization by race may be primarily due to environmental factors rather than genetic differences. Clinical Implications These data suggest that efforts to eliminate disparities in allergic sensitization should focus on contributing environmental factors.