Risk classification of life and health insurance applicants with atypical melanocytic hyperplasia or malignant melanoma in situ.
Physicians may attempt to disguise malignant melanoma in situ from insurance companies by diagnosing atypical melanocytic hyperplasia instead. This study indicates that the insurance industry is not misled by atypical melanocytic hyperplasia and treats it equivalently to malignant melanoma in situ. In addition, physicians' failure to diagnose malignant melanoma in situ may result in underestimation of the incidence of malignant melanoma and may cause inadequate initial treatment and patient follow-up.
Wagner
R F
RF
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston.
Murphy
C M
CM
D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D015994:Incidence; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007352:Insurance, Life / Q000145:classification* / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012306:Risk; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology