Every medical condition needs to be diagnosed properly, accurately, and in a timely manner. There are certain medical conditions which are more difficult to diagnose than others, but proper and timely diagnosis are important in order to provide the right medication and treatment. Consequences of misdiagnosis can be severe and life-changing.
Cancer Misdiagnoses
Cancer is a life-threatening condition that needs urgent and proper diagnosis in order to possibly maintain or restore a person’s quality of life. Late diagnosis may lead to the advancement of the condition to a less- or non-treatable stage. Cancer misdiagnosis occurs under many circumstances. Some of them include when a malignant mass is identified as benign, a cancerous lesion is not properly identified during a biopsy, there is failure to refer a patient to a specialist, the physician fails to screen or make a follow-up with the patient, or reports are wrongly written (a transcription error) or incorrectly read. The consequences of cancer misdiagnosis can be both widespread and severe, and the patient may be deprived of freedom, independence, health, and many other options.
Specific Kinds of Cancer Misdiagnosis
Here are some of the common types of cancer misdiagnosis, and how they are misdiagnosed:
- Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Colon Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Skin Cancer Misdiagnosis
- Stomach Cancer Misdiagnosis
Age may be a factor in the delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis of breast cancer. Younger women who have breast cancer may be wrongly diagnosed with other types of diseases, like mastitis.
This shows as an abnormal tissue growth known as polyp. It takes some years for it to develop into a cancer. When a doctor fails to conduct tests at an early stage, delay in diagnosis occurs.
This is a highly treatable type of cancer. Annual check-ups should be enough to properly diagnose this type of condition. Failure to check for prostate cancer may hold the doctor liable for negligence.
Skin cancer may at first appear as a simple mole or discoloration on the skin. When this is overlooked by the doctor, the cancerous skin cells may spread to other body parts.
This type of cancer has very general symptoms which can also be experienced by people who have less serious ailments. This is the reason why it is difficult to diagnose, and requires careful examination. Women who experience digestive issues may be diagnosed for less serious ailments.
Do you need a Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney
If you or a loved one have suffered because of a mistaken or delayed cancer diagnosis, you may want to speak with an attorney regarding a potential claim. d’Oliveira & Associates, Rhode Island personal injury lawyers, are working with some of the leading lawyers handling Medical Malpractice.
Please contact a RI attorney at the law offices of d’Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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