Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer. The most common cause of skin cancer is overexposure to the sun. Ninety percent of all skin cancers occur on sun exposed skin. People most likely to get skin cancer have:
A family history of melanoma
Fair skin which burns easily and tans poorly
Red or blonde h&r
Blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence
Dysplastic nevi (atypical moles)
There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type and has the best prognosis. It usually looks like a small pearly nodule that slowly grows. Lesions are surgically removed. Recurrences are common, but it rarely metastasizes (spreads to distant sites). Localized basal cell cancers, after excision, are non-rated.
Squamous cell carcinoma can be a nodule or a reddish patch. Recurrences are also common and 3 - 10% will metastasize. Localized squamous cell cancers, after excision, are non-rated.
Malignant melanoma is the least common, but most serious and can start as a mole. Lesions are surgically removed. Melanoma metastasizes early and widely. Even after surgical removal, recurrences can occur. Prognostic factors include lesion thickness, Clark's level of invasion, growth pattern, skin ulceration (the superficial loss of tissue on the surface of the skin or lesion), number of melanomas, number and size of positive nodes, intralymphatic metastases, and distance metastases.
The staging system for cutaneous (skin) melanoma puts emphasis on ulceration (as reported in the pathology or surgeon's report) and on information obtained from new technology that can detect minute lymphatic metastases. Staging is based on the TNM (Tumor, node, metastasis) classification, and ratings are based on the TNM staging system, specifically tumor characteristics (a.k.a Tia, Tib, T2a, etc).
Applicants with positive lymph nodes or metastases are not insurable.
In summary, when underwriting a skin cancer history, Life Insurance Solutions suggests for those persons looking for life insurance for skin cancer, the following factors are important in assessing the risk:
- tissue of origin?
- stage?
- grade?
- time since diagnosis?
- type of treatment? (surgery, radiation, chemo, etc.)
- time since treatment has ended?
- any recurrences or relapses?
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