Frequently, people who have had a substantial delay in the diagnosis of their cancer call this firm seeking legal representation. Another issue for cancer patients, however, is when a patient is diagnosed with a type of cancer, but does not receive timely treatment.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that forms from pigment-containing cells in the skin. The early signs of melanoma are changes to the shape or color of existing moles, or the appearance of a new lump anywhere on the skin. This year, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 74,000 new cases of melanoma and about 9,900 deaths from skin cancer. While melanoma is not the most common type of skin cancer, it is responsible of 75% of skin cancer deaths. Treatment for melanoma includes surgical removal of the tumor.

Recognizing that the timely delivery of surgery for cancer affects both health care quality and patient outcomes, a recent study assessed the delay of surgery for melanoma by tumor, patient, and physician-level characteristics amongst 32,000 melanoma Medicare patients.

You can read an abstract of the study here:

[Delay of Surgery for Melanoma Among Medicare Beneficiaries](http://archderm.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2214160&resultClick=3)

The results of the study reveal that, of the population analyzed, more than 20 percent of Medicare patients with melanoma face delays in getting surgical treatment. Greater than 1 in 5 Medicare patients experience a delay greater than 1.5 months, and about 1 in 12 had surgery beyond three months. Delays were least common for patients whose melanoma had been biopsied and excised by a dermatologist.

The delayed treatment for more than 20% of Medicare patients contrasts with the recommended time frame of performing surgery within six weeks of diagnosis, although the researchers acknowledged that no formal schedule exists. Timing for melanoma is critical as the cancer can spread and kill, and the earlier it is treated, the better the odds for successful results. Timelines can’t be exact, however, because every tumor is different and it cannot be pinpointed when a particular cancer has a higher chance of spreading.

The study did not reach a conclusion of what is causing the delays, but it could be due to scheduling backups. Another possible explanation is that many patients are elderly and have other health conditions that must be treated first.

The study concludes that the success of patients seen and treated by a dermatologist highlights the potential opportunities for improved access to, and coordination of, dermatologic care. But when it comes to advice, a doctor behind the study stated, “if you are diagnosed, get it surgically removed as soon as possible.”