Skin Cancer Impairment Online Questionnaire
Skin Cancer Impairment Printable Questionnaire
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:
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 nonrated.
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 inaction, 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 now 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 now based on the TNM staging system, specifically tumor characteristics (a.k.a T1a, T1b, T2a, etc).
Applicants with positive lymph nodes or metastases are not insurable.
The rating for malignant melanoma ranges from no rating for in-situ cancers to postpone for 4 years for Clark levels IV and V. All criteria must fit.
Tumor |
Thickness |
Clark's level |
Ulceration |
| Tis | ≤1.0mm | Level I in-situ | NA |
| T1a | ≤1.0mm | Clark's level II or III | No |
| T1b | ≤1.0mm | Clark's level II or III | Yes |
| T1b | ≤1.0mm | Clark's level IV or V | Yes/No |
| T2a | 1.01 to 2.0mm | NA | No |
| T2b | 1.01 to 2.0mm | NA | Yes |
| T3a | 2.01 to 4.00mm | NA | No |
| T3b | 2.01 to 4.00mm | NA | Yes |
| T4a | >4.0mm | NA | No |
| T4b | >4.0mm | NA | Yes |
Tumor |
Tis |
T1a |
T1b |
T2a |
T2b |
T3a |
T3b and T4a |
| 1st Yr | 0 | $5x5 | $7.50x5 | $7.50x6 | $10x6 | R | R |
| 2nd Yr | 0 | $5x4 | $7.50x4 | $7.50x5 | $10x5 | R | R |
| 3rd Yr | 0 | $5x3 | $7.50x3 | $7.50x4 | $10x4 | R | R |
| 4th Yr | 0 | $5x2 | $7.50x2 | $7.50x3 | $10x3 | R | R |
| 5th Yr | 0 | $5x1 | $7.50x1 | $7.50x2 | $10x2 | $15x6 | R |
| 6th Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | $7.50x1 | $10x1 | $15x5 | $20x5 |
| 7th Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $15x4 | $20x4 |
| 8th Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $15x3 | $20x3 |
| 9th Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $15x2 | $20x2 |
| 10th Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | $15x1 | $20x1 |
| After 10 Yr | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Only Tis through T4a will bec onsidered in underwriting. There must be no evidence of distant or node metastases. Satellite lesions and lesions-in-transit (i.e. within the lymph channels) are considered metastatic. Recurrent melanomas are declined.