Critically APPRAISE the attached article contents and DISCUSS implications both to the patients and therapy radiographers - Essay Example

The approach of the article is simple, yet, the simplicity of which the story has been told give us a picture of the things that we used to take for granted, only to find out that these things that we used to ignore would soon haunt us. For people who are potential patients and their families, this story will serve as a wake up call. Men who used to believe that using sunscreen is not macho would now think twice about going into the sun without using sunscreen or wearing any protective clothing or hat.

Furthermore, since a woman and the wife of the patient told the story, this story would hold a strong appeal on the women readers as well as the men. As the wife tells the story of her husband’s struggle with melanoma cancer, we notice lapses of judgments on the part of the GP, the patient and the wife. When the patient and his wife noticed the mole, they did not immediately seek for medical attention. According to the study conducted by Cancer Research UK, more than 30% of those men who notice some altered moles in their bodies would not really consult a doctor right away3.

Since early diagnosis is very important especially in cancer patients, the delay on the part of the patient and his family in seeking medical attention could cause severe consequences. On the other hand, the GP also committed a lapse of judgment. Although the GP referred the patient to a dermatologist, it took four months before the patient actually saw the dermatologist and by then, the cancer may have already spread. Doctors should know better than wait for months especially when it comes to suspicious looking moles.

Doctors should never miss the danger signs when checking moles such as asymmetry, irregular border of the moles, uneven color and the diameter of the mole4. Clearly, as the GP did not ask for an earlier schedule with the dermatologist, the GP had