Prognosis

Disease recurrence and survival are two critical measures of prognosis (how a patient will do after a cancer diagnosis). Here we provide detailed information about these risks after an MCC diagnosis

Knowing a patient’s prognosis will help their medical team select the best treatment plan to minimize risk of recurrence and detrimental side effects. This information is also very helpful to determine how closely a patient needs to be followed for recurrence. For example, for patients who have not had a cancer recurrence, the risk is far lower in the fourth year after diagnosis as compared to the first year after diagnosis. Therefore, doctor visits, scans, and blood tests can be carried out less frequently when risk is lower.