Modern medicine and technology have given many patients better odds when it comes to medical diagnoses. However, especially when it comes to aggressive conditions such as cancer, a timely and detailed diagnosis is key to increasing the patient’s chance of survival. If you are a cancer patient whose recovery was hindered due to a medical professional’s missed or delay diagnosis, you may be entitled to compensation.
How Do Missed or Delayed Cancer Diagnoses Occur?
There are many scenarios in which a medical professional fails to meet the standard of care, potentially resulting in a missed or delayed cancer diagnosis.
- They didn’t record a detailed family history from the patient
- They failed to complete a thorough examination
- They misinterpreted or ignored the patient’s symptoms
- They didn’t screen for cancer despite knowing the patient was exhibiting related symptoms
- They failed to refer the patient to a cancer specialist
- There was a lack of communication between the doctor, the lab, or other hospital staff
- They misread test results
- They mislabeled lab results
The Ramifications of a Missed or Delayed Cancer Diagnosis
Early diagnosis of cancer plays a crucial role in the patient’s recovery. The longer cancer goes untreated, the less manageable it becomes. When diagnosed with cancer, a medical professional will determine the stage of the cancer which helps the medical team and patient understand the progression of the disease.
Stage 0 means that the cancer has remained in its original location within the body and has not spread to nearby tissues. This is the least aggressive stage and it is often considered curable.
Stage 1, often referred to as early-stage cancer, means that the cancer has spread minimally but has not grown deeply into neighboring tissue.
Stages 2 and 3 mean that the cancer has grown more deeply into surrounding tissue and potentially spread to the lymph nodes but not necessarily to other parts of the body.
Stage 4, sometimes referred to as advanced or metastatic cancer, is the most severe stage of cancer. In this stage, the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.
The longer a patient goes without receiving a cancer diagnosis, the more likely they are to advance through the different stages, making it more difficult to treat and less likely that they will go into remission.
A missed or delayed cancer diagnosis can be lengthy, costly, painful, and life-threatening. If you have experienced a missed or delayed cancer diagnosis, you may have a medical malpractice case and be entitled to compensation. Contact the attorneys at Rob Levine Law for a free case evaluation to get the justice you deserve!
