Hospital/Doctor Error - Cancer Misdiagnosis

 

Cancer misdiagnosis occurs when a doctor fails to diagnose cancer even though symptoms are clearly present. The effects of a cancer misdiagnosis can be devastating, which is why an increasing number of people are seeking damages against doctors who have been negligent in this way. If you or someone you love has been affected by cancer misdiagnosis due to a hospital or doctor error, read on to find out how you can take action against the guilty party with the help of a New York City medical malpractice attorney.

Cancer Misdiagnosis Leads to Unnecessary Deaths

When it comes to cancer, early diagnosis is key to maximizing your chance of beating the disease. Cancers that are diagnosed late are more likely to have spread, meaning that aggressive interventions such as invasive surgeries and intensive radiotherapy or chemotherapy will be necessary to combat the disease. Sadly, cancer misdiagnoses even lead to some deaths that could have been prevented if the cancer had been caught earlier.

Doctors and hospital medical teams should be aware of the common signs of cancer and should be able to spot them. A doctor who assumes that a patient's symptoms are caused by another disease or condition without running tests to rule out cancer could be guilty of medical malpractice, if it can be proven that the doctor acted in violation of what would be considered best practice when faced with the patient's symptoms.

Cancer misdiagnosis can also occur when patients are given test results that show they do not have cancer, whereas in fact they do. All cancer tests carry a small risk of a false negative result, but sometimes the misdiagnosis is clearly the result of human error. If a physician has not carried out the test according to the standard procedure, and this violation has led to a false negative result, then the patient can enlist the help of a doctor misdiagnoses attorney. Alternatively, the hospital that ran the test could have mixed up the patient's results, in which case a hospital mistake lawyer can offer legal assistance.

Effects of Cancer Misdiagnosis

Late diagnosis of cancer can leave you worse off, not only in terms of your health, but also financially. The costs of treating late-stage invasive cancer are much higher than treating cancer that is caught early. In addition, people suffering from invasive cancer need much more time off work, leading to a greater loss of earnings. The physical and emotional damages suffered as a result of aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy can also be very severe and have a huge impact on the patient's quality of life.

One example of a cancer that is frequently misdiagnosed is colorectal cancer, which is one of the most common types of cancer among men and women over 50 years of age. Screening for colorectal cancer saves millions of lives by identifying precancerous growths on the wall of the colon, which can then be removed before they develop into cancerous tumors. Patients should be referred for screening tests if they have symptoms such as bleeding from the anus or changes in their bowel habits. However, some doctors wrongly assume that changes in bowel habits are due to another illness or digestive condition, and fail to refer the patient for cancer diagnosis tests. This robs the patient of the chance to have growths removed while they are still in the precancerous stage. Sadly, deaths do occur due to late diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

Breast cancer is another example where early diagnosis is crucial. Breast cancer is the second most fatal type of cancer in women, but it is highly treatable if it is diagnosed before the cancer spreads to other parts of the body. In the case of early diagnosis, the cancer can be excised completely by removing all or part of the breast, which gives the patient a very good chance of still being alive five years after diagnosis. Lawyer firm in Illinois.

Poor quality testing can lead to doctors failing to detect lumps in the breasts during an examination. The doctor may also fail to refer the patient for further tests such as an x-ray, a CT scan or an MRI scan. This failure to act quickly to diagnose the cancer can significantly reduce the patient's chance of survival.

Avoiding Cancer Misdiagnosis

There are certain things that patients can do to avoid cancer misdiagnosis, such as asking questions, consulting the doctor about potentially cancerous symptoms soon after they appear, and always attending scheduled appointments for screening or diagnostic tests. However, in some cases, even when the patient does everything right, they can still be the victim of cancer misdiagnosis due to negligence or malpractice by medical practitioners.

Suing for Damages for Cancer Misdiagnosis

If you or someone in your family has been affected by cancer misdiagnosis, you can get justice. Contact an experienced New York City medical malpractice attorney today to start your claim for damages. You do not have to suffer in silence, burdened with medical bills arising from the cost of treating your misdiagnosed cancer. A New York City medical misdiagnosis law firm can help you to prepare and fight your case for damages.