The Matter of the Missing Melanoma: A Case Series

Melanoma of the skin is the fifth most common malignancy in the U.S. In 2020, an estimated 6,850 people will die from melanoma of the skin. Further, given the broad distribution in ages affected, melanoma has a tremendous burden on health care costs and years of productive life lost. Every year, melanoma cases may go undetected, or have a significant delay in diagnosis, which may lead to poor outcomes. Here, three cases of melanoma encountered in the author's first clinical year of medical school, each of which had been overlooked, misdiagnosed, or lost to follow-up are reported. Implementing an integrated skin exam into every physical examination for high-risk patients and introducing preventative healthcare education into communities could help alleviate the burden of delay in diagnoses.