It is well-known and generally accepted that skin cancers and melanomas originate in people who have longstanding exposure to sun rays, especially in sea-goers who don't use appropriate body cover and/or protective sunscreens.
When a patient has had significant exposure during their childhood and beyond, and especially in patients with a family history of skin cancer, total body examination by a dermatologist, even on a yearly basis, may be important. In patients who have had any type of skin cancer, it is mandatory to keep them under surveillance, at least in the first 5 years post detection and surgical resection of skin cancer. The reason for this standard is that following skin cancer detection in patients, the likelihood of detecting a second cancer greatly increases as compared to the rate in the general population.
The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma, which is relatively benign even though in sensitive skin areas like the skull and face it can cause serious penetration into the bone and even into the brain if not detected and excised in a timely way.
Squamous cell carcinomas are more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma and can lead to spread of cancer cells systemically and lead to life-threatening metastatic cancer with a poor prognosis and limited therapeutic treatment modalities.
The most feared cancer of the skin is melanoma, which if it has metastasized is a deadly disease that cannot be cured. The only chance the patient has is early detection and early removal of a melanoma lesion.
We represented a 50-year-old man who had several basal cell carcinomas which were removed by excision. However, his physician neglected to properly follow the patient. As a result, a melanoma was not timely detected, and this melanoma spread systemically in all the patient's organs. Unfortunately this young husband and father died, leaving a widow and young children behind who depended so much on him. Our team successfully represented the family, and the case resolved prior to trial.
We have a team of medical professionals on staff that work with the highly successful medical malpractice attorneys at Stein, Mitchell, and Muse, LLPto prepare your case for trial. If you or a loved one have been the victim of medical malpractice, give our team a call at 202-737-7777 for a free consultation.
