Delayed diagnosis cases often come about within the context of cancer. Consider advanced colon cancer. A common issue that a cancer lawyer is often consulted on deals with to physicians dismissing patient complaints of blood in the stool as being caused by hemorrhoids without ever doing any testing. Some of the other most frequently seen delayed diagnosis scenarios involve advanced breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer and advanced colon cancer. Let’s, however, for now just consider colon cancer.
Typically, doctors recommend that in case a patient present with blood in the stool that a colonoscopy is called for to figure out whether the patient has colon cancer or the blood is caused by something else. The colonoscopy is a procedure that helps determine whether the blood is the consequence of colon cancer or something else such as hemorrhoids. But just supposing that the blood is caused by hemorrhoids, while not performing appropriate tests, risks missing a cancer.
If appropriate tests (such as a colonoscopy) are performed when the patient first show symptoms consistent with colon cancer it is possible that the cancer will be found before it reaches an advanced stage. Early detection usually means that the cancer can be removed surgically (or maybe even during a colonoscopy) and the patient may not need to undergo chemotherapy. Early detection also in most cases means that there is a much lower chance that the patient will die from the cancer. So a postponement in diagnosing the cancer and treating the patient that is sufficient to allow the cancer to reach an advanced stage will require that the patient go through additional or further treatments and significantly decreases the likelihood that the patient will survive the cancer. time goes by before the patient is diagnosed the cancer will advanced to a late stage. Once the cancer reaches a late stage the patient has fewer treatment options and is more likely to die due to cancer.
To figure out whether you may have a medical malpractice claim against a physician or other health care provider please contact a medical negligence lawyer. The above is meant neither as medical advice nor legal advice. Make sure you consult with a doctor about any health issues and before taking any medical advice. Please consult an attorney about any possible legal claim.
