Cancer (life-threatening)

Definite diagnosis of a tumour, which must be characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of malignant cells and the invasion of tissue. Types of cancer include carcinoma, melanoma, leukemia, lymphoma, and sarcoma.

The diagnosis of cancer (life-threatening) must be made by a specialist.

Exclusions

• No benefit will be payable under the definition of "cancer (life-threatening)" for:
  • lesions described as benign, pre-malignant, uncertain, borderline, non-invasive, carcinoma in situ (Tis), or tumours classified as Ta;
  • malignant melanoma skin cancer that is less than or equal to 1.0 mm in thickness, unless it is ulcerated or is accompanied by lymph node or distant metastasis;
  • any non-melanoma skin cancer, without lymph node or distant metastasis;
  • prostate cancer classified as T1a or T1b, without lymph node or distant metastasis;
  • papillary thyroid cancer or follicular thyroid cancer, or both, that is less than or equal to 2.0 cm in greatest diameter and classified as T1, without lymph node or distant metastasis;
  • chronic lymphocytic leukemia classified less than Rai stage 1;
  • malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) and malignant carcinoid tumours, classified less than AJCC Stage 2.

    For the purposes of this exclusion:

    • the terms "Tis, Ta, T1a, T1b, T1 and AJCC Stage 2" are to be applied as defined in the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) cancer staging manual, 7th Edition, 2010;
    • the term "Rai staging" is to be applied as set out in KR Rai, A Sawitsky, EP Cronkite, AD Chanana, RN Levy and BS Pasternack: Clinical staging of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Blood 46:219, 1975.
• No benefit will be payable under the definition of "cancer (life-threatening)" if:

  Within the first 90 day following the later of, the effective date of this coverage, or the date of last reinstatement of this coverage, the insured person has any of the following:

  • signs, symptoms or investigations, that lead to a diagnosis of cancer (covered or excluded under this coverage), regardless of when the diagnosis is made; or
  • a diagnosis of cancer (covered or excluded under this coverage).

Obligation to inform the Company:

Medical information about the diagnosis and any signs, symptoms or investigations leading to the diagnosis must be reported to the Company within 6 months of the date of the diagnosis.

If this nformation is not provided within this period, the Company has the right to deny any claim for cancer or any covered condition caused by any cancer or its treatment.

Cancer is the abnormal or malignant growth of cells which spread throughout the body destroying healthy tissue. The diagnosis of cancer is usually confirmed by a biopsy and the extent of the disease is established by other tests. Depending on its severity, cancer can be life threatening or can be easily cured. Cancer in situ and the other exclusions (except for a tumour developing in the presence of HIV) are not considered life threatening and their treatment has a fairly high success rate.