Q: Does a person in Atlanta have a different chance of surviving melanoma if there was a delay in getting a proper diagnosis?
A:
Unfortunately, the answer to the question is yes. The failure to diagnose melanoma may significantly change a person’s chances of surviving this type of skin cancer and may be medical malpractice. Failure to diagnose melanoma is generally considered medical malpractice if a reasonable doctor would’ve diagnosed the cancer earlier, and the patient suffered as a result of the delayed diagnosis.Statistics from the American Cancer Society indicate that patients with:
- Stage 1 melanoma have a 92% chance of surviving 5 years and an 86% chance of surviving 10 years.
- Stage 2 melanoma have a 53% chance of surviving 5 years and a 40% chance of surviving 10 years.
- Stage 3 melanoma have a 59% chance of surviving 5 years and a 43% chance of surviving 10 years.
- Stage 4 melanoma have a 20% chance of surviving 5 years and a 15% chance of surviving 10 years.
