Dysplastic epidermal keratosis in a black woman

Skin cancer is rare in black persons. When it does occur, in most cases it occurs on non-sun-exposed areas. In white persons, most skin cancer occurs in sites that have been exposed to sunlight for long periods. The decreased susceptibility of more darkly pigmented skin to the sequelae of long-term ultraviolet (UV)-energy exposure probably accounts for the low incidence of actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas in black persons. Multiple, dysplastic, epidermal lesions developed in a black woman, which were possibly induced by long-term UV-light or heat exposure. Her condition responded well to topical fluorouracil therapy but had an unusual delayed reaction to treatment.