OPINION: Melanoma follow-ups missed

Source: The Observer, June 2015

RECENT research shows that melanoma patients are not attending for their recommended follow-ups and are, therefore, at risk of missing early spread.

This research has been done at Australia’s largest melanoma treatment and research centre, the Melanoma Institute Australian in Melbourne and the results are “scary".

Only 34% of Stage 1 and 14% of Stage 2 patients completed their recommended follow-ups over the five-year period!

Melanoma is the most common cancer in 15-35-year-olds and the third most common cause of cancer to spread through body organs (visceral metastases) after colon and prostate cancer in men and breast and colon cancer in women… Aren’t I just the fountain of scary information!

Current guidelines for follow-up in Australia and New Zealand are for 3-month or 6-month follow-ups for five years – three or four monthly for Stage 2 and six monthly for Stage 1.

With such a low number of follow-ups being completed, the patients that miss their follow-ups are at risk of missing picking up spread to other parts of the body or recurrent melanomas.

Early recognition and treatment of melanoma is the key to initial and secondary treatment so please attend for the follow-ups if you have had a melanoma.

We know it is a bit scary but having your head in the sand will not keep it away.

We are much happier to find problems early and cure you, than for you to arrive late and be unable to treat you – as are you!

So attend for your 3- or 6-monthly follow-ups to keep yourself safe.