Skin Cancer Protocol

Please find below protocol to be followed for Skin Cancer

Treatment protocol for Skin cancer malignant melanoma 

*Malignant Cancer refers to cancer cells that can invade and kill nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. This definition excludes any diagnosis related to skin cancer however Metastatic melanoma occurs when the cancer spreads from the tumor to other parts of your body. This is also known as stage 4 melanoma. Melanoma is the most likely of all skin cancers to become metastatic if not caught early.

Metastasis is the spreading of cancer.

Where does melanoma usually spread to first?

Normally, the first place a melanoma tumor metastasizes to is the lymph nodes, by literally draining melanoma cells into the lymphatic fluid, which carries the melanoma cells through the lymphatic channels to the nearest lymph node basin.

All skin cancer claims when being sent to Spesnet must be sent with the following posing questions 

Is this the initial diagnosis?

What type of cancer is this?

Has this cancer Metastasised?

ICD 10 codes for Malignant Melanoma as initial cancer diagnoses, if any of the following codes are used then these shall be considered as initial cancer diagnoses:

C43.0     Malignant melanoma of lip

C43.1     Malignant melanoma of eyelid, including canthus

C43.2     Malignant melanoma of ear and external auricular canal

C43.3     Malignant melanoma of other and unspecified parts of face

C43.4     Malignant melanoma of scalp and neck

C43.5     Malignant melanoma of trunk

C43.6     Malignant melanoma of upper limb, including shoulder

C43.7     Malignant melanoma of lower limb, including hip

C43.8     Malignant melanoma, overlapping malignant melanoma of skin

C43.9     Malignant melanoma of skin, unspecified

Treatment Protocol

Type of skin cancer must be Malignant Melanoma Metastasis.

Must be the very first clinically confirmed diagnosis of any form of malignant cancer(in order to qualify for benefit)

Specifically excluding preliminary, tentative, or other diagnosis not supported by clinical evidence of malignancy.

Excludes any incidence of cancer/pre-cancer before the inception of the policy