Skin Cancer, Early Detection and Medical Malpractice
Colorado has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the country. The beautiful Rocky Mountains are partly to blame. Quite simply, the higher the elevation, the more UV exposure you get.
June 07, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Skin Cancer, Early Detection and Medical Malpractice
Article provided by The Mahoney Law Firm. Please visit our Web site at www.mahoneylaw.com.
Colorado has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the country. Colorado men have a 30% higher rate of melanoma -- the most lethal of skin cancers -- while women have 32% higher rate of the deadly disease than the national average.
What accounts for this difference?
The beautiful Rocky Mountains are partly to blame. Quite simply, the higher the elevation, the more UV exposure you get. It is estimated that for every 1000 feet of elevation, UV intensity increases by 5%. This means that in Denver, the UV exposure is 26% higher than it is at sea level, subjecting Coloradoans to much higher levels of UV rays than Americans living at lower altitudes.
Another factor contributing to the state's high skin cancer rates is the type of lifestyle enjoyed by many living here. People in Colorado are active. They enjoy hiking, skiing, camping, kayaking, fishing and other activities that keep them outdoors. Add in the fact that Colorado has more sunny days than cloudy ones and people are less likely to wear sunscreen and protective clothing and it's no wonder the state has so many cases of skin cancer.
What can you do to protect yourself?
While people who are fair-skinned, have freckles, blonde or red hair, blue or green eyes are more likely to develop skin cancer, this doesn't mean that others aren't susceptible to the disease and shouldn't take precautionary steps. Anyone can get skin cancer.
The only way to fight melanoma is through early detection; if the cancer is not caught early and begins to spread throughout the body (metastasize), the chance for successful treatment diminishes rapidly.
On the other hand, if caught early, 95% of skin cancer cases can be cured. There are some simple steps people can take to protect themselves from getting the disease, including:
• Always apply at least a 15 SPF sunscreen on sun-exposed skin 30 minutes before you go outside, even if it's for a short period of time.
• Wearing protective clothing, like hats, sunglasses, long sleeves and pants. Men are more likely to get melanoma on their backs and chests while women are more likely to get it on the backs of their legs.
• Stay in the shade as much as possible during the day.
• Never use tanning booths or sun-bathe. There is no such thing as a "healthy tan." Tan skin is damaged skin.
• Monitor any changes in your skin, including new moles, changes in old moles and sores that aren't healing or keep coming back.
Skin Cancer and Medical Malpractice
There comes a point when no matter how many self-exams you perform or how often you reapply your sunscreen, you have to rely on an expert's knowledge. If your physician failed to diagnose your skin cancer, you may have a medical malpractice claim against the doctor.
Medical malpractice occurs when your doctor fails to conform to the accepted standard of medical care. It can occur when your doctor fails to take some action -- like not requesting a consult with a dermatologist or other specialist -- or when your doctor takes the wrong action, such as taking a biopsy of your mole but not taking an adequate sample.
Not every medical case with bad results, however, is medical malpractice. Unfortunately, doctors make mistakes and their decisions may lead to bad results. It is only medical malpractice if the doctor did not provide care in accordance with the accepted standard of care and, as a result, the patient suffered an injury.
In cases of skin cancer, several actions can lead to a medical malpractice claim. Some of these include:
• Doctor fails to diagnose the skin cancer
• Doctor fails to refer patient to a specialist in a timely manner
• Doctor fails to take a proper sample for the biopsy
• Doctor fails to correctly interpret biopsy test results
• Doctor fails to remove all of the tissue affected by the cancer
To successfully pursue a medical malpractice claim for failure to diagnose skin cancer, the misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis must have caused further harm to the patient than the harm caused by the cancer alone. In cases of melanoma, the harm caused by failing to make the right diagnosis or making the diagnosis in a timely manner is well known. Melanoma must be caught early before it has time to spread in order to be treatable. If the doctor does not diagnose the cancer or does not remove all of the surrounding tissue affected by the cancer, the patient can die.
Conclusion
It is important to take necessary steps to protect yourself from skin cancer. Whether you enjoy all the great outdoors has to offer or lead a less active lifestyle, you still are at risk for developing the disease. If your physician failed to diagnose your skin cancer, an experienced medical malpractice attorney can evaluate your potential claim and explain your options.
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