A medical malpractice action alleging that a hospital failed to diagnose a man’s cancerous wound must be dismissed because he filed a notice of claim too late, a state appellate court ruled Thursday.

The 18 months between plaintiff Jianfeng Jian’s stay at Bellevue Hospital Center and his return to the hospital undercut his contention that he had been receiving a “continuous course of treatment” and therefore his notice of claim was timely.