In this webinar, Dr Stephen Falk explores how expert oncology evidence can help solicitors assess breach, causation and medico-legal risk in melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer cases.

Key Themes from the Webinar

Dr Falk explains why skin cancer litigation can be particularly complex, even where delay or breach appears clear.

Key medico-legal insights include:

• Delay does not automatically prove causation. Earlier diagnosis may not have changed treatment, prognosis or outcome, particularly where disease was already occult or biologically advanced.
• Melanoma claims are changing. Immunotherapy has significantly improved outcomes in metastatic melanoma, which can affect causation, life expectancy arguments and quantum.
• Diagnostic uncertainty remains common. Actinic keratoses, squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and rarer melanoma variants can be difficult to distinguish without appropriate assessment or histopathology.
• Lead time bias is a key defence argument. Earlier detection may increase the apparent period of survival without altering the biology or eventual outcome of the disease.

About the Speaker

Dr Stephen Falk is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist with over 25 years’ experience in medico-legal work. He has provided expert evidence in complex oncology claims, including single claimant cases and large multi-claim litigation, and has extensive experience assessing causation, prognosis and treatment outcomes in cancer-related clinical negligence matters.

Read the full medico-legal article here >