False Diagnosis Of Cancer May Constitute Medical Malpractice
A recent study showed that cancer is one of the most frequently missed diagnoses by physicians – with breast cancer being one of the top three missed diagnoses in women.
Obtaining a proper diagnosis is the first step to receiving the appropriate treatment. Failures in diagnosis can happen in several ways and often arise when a physician fails to detect the existence of cancer early enough to treat effectively or, alternatively, by erroneously finding cancer exists when it does not. Either situation may constitute medical negligence.
A recent story in the Hawaii Star Advertiser detailed the horrific story of a woman who was told by her pathologist that she had breast cancer, as diagnosed from a biopsy. She underwent extensive surgery, resulting in the removal of a golf-ball-size chunk of the woman’s breast. After enduring surgery, radiation, drugs, as well as the psychological impact of receiving the cancer diagnosis, the woman was told that she had never had the disease.
Diagnosing breast cancer can be difficult and pathologists must have significant experience to understand the variations and “nuances” of breast cancer cases. Failing to diagnose someone with cancer or telling someone they have cancer when they do not, both lead to significant emotional trauma and impact the medical treatment needed.
For more information, or if you have been harmed as the result of an error in diagnosis, contact the lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP today for a free consultation.
