Patients Might Have A Claim For Medical Malpractice On Account Of Physician’s Failure To Diagnose Colon Cancer
Delayed diagnosis cases often occur within the context of cancer. Consider advanced colon cancer. A frequently seen issue that a lawyer handling cancer malpractice cases is often approached about related 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 often seen delayed diagnosis cases involve advanced breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer and advanced colon cancer. Let’s, however, maintain focus on colon cancer.
First it is important to notice is that the majority of physicians agree that if a patient presents with rectal bleeding or blood in the stool a colonoscopy has to be completed in order to determine the cause of the blood. The colonoscopy is a procedure that helps determine whether the blood is being caused by colon cancer or something else such as hemorrhoids. While blood in the stool is much more likely to result from something other than colon cancer not performing appropriate tests puts the patient at risk of having cancer that will keep growing and spreading every day it is not diagnosed.
If appropriate tests (such as a colonoscopy) are performed when the patient first show symptoms consistent with colon cancer it may be possible to find the cancer before it reaches an advanced stage. Early detection frequently means that the cancer can be removed surgically (or possibly even during a colonoscopy) and the patient may not require chemotherapy. Early diagnosis also usually means that the patient has a far greater chance of surviving the cancer. So a delay in detecting the cancer and treating the patient that is lengthy enough to allow the cancer make it to an advanced stage will require that the patient go through additional or further treatments and markedly decreases the probability 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 from the 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 attorney. Clearly, the above is meant simply as basic information relating to selected categories of potential medical malpractice lawsuits rather than as legal or medical advice. You need to consult with a doctor concerning any medical issues or medical advice.