Delayed diagnosis claims often come about within the context of cancer. Consider advanced colon cancer. A common issue that a lawyer handling cancer malpractice cases 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. Among the other most frequently seen delayed diagnosis cases involve advanced breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer and advanced colon cancer. Let’s, however, for now just consider colon cancer.
One pattern that happens much too often involves a doctor telling a patient with complaints of blood in the stool that the patient just suffers from hemorrhoids and there is nothing to be concerned about. But, the blood later turns out to have been because of colon cancer all along. What legal options does the patient have under these circumstances?
The first thing to note is that most physicians are in agreement that if a patient presents with rectal bleeding or blood in the stool a colonoscopy needs to be completed to determine the cause of the blood. The colonoscopy is a procedure that helps determine whether the blood is the result of colon cancer or something else such as hemorrhoids. Although blood in the stool is much more likely to result from something other than colon cancer not performing proper tests puts the patient at risk of having cancer that will continue to grow and spread every day it is not found.
If appropriate tests (such as a colonoscopy) are performed promptly after the patient first complains of symptoms consistent with colon cancer it is possible that the cancer will be found while it is still in the early stage. Early diagnosis commonly means that the cancer can be removed surgically (or possibly even wtih a colonoscopy) and the patient may not require chemotherapy. Early detection also in most cases means that there is a much lower chance that the patient will die from the cancer. Should the patient in fact have cancer then not letting the patient know that the blood may be due to cancer the doctor effectively impedes the diagnosis. The postponement can allow for the advancement of the cancer to an advanced stage. At that time, there are fewer treatment options and a much lower likelihood of survival.
Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction in which the doctor was responsible for the delay, this might give rise to a claim for which a medical negligence lawyer may be able to assist you!. Obviously, the above is meant only as basic information relating to selected categories of possible medical malpractice cases and not as legal or medical advice. You ought to consult with a doctor regarding any medical problems or medical advice.
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