Unfortunately, doctors do make mistakes in diagnosing cancer, and the consequences can be dire. If you or someone you love was misdiagnosed with cancer and you suffered harm because of it, the medical malpractice lawyers at Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. in Philadelphia are here to help.
According to Cancer.org, over two million new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2025, and 618,000 people will die from the disease.
While cancer remains a leading cause of death, new advancements are being made every day, and five-year relative survival rates have increased substantially. However, early diagnosis is key to cancer being treatable and to survival. That’s why a cancer misdiagnosis can be so devastating.
Our legal team will work with you to identify your damages, determine if a doctor can be held accountable, and pursue legal action so you can get the justice you deserve. To find out more about how we can help, give us a call today.
How Does Cancer Get Misdiagnosed?
Cancer is generally misdiagnosed for a few common reasons, including the following:
- Failure to order the appropriate tests: If a patient presents with symptoms that suggest cancer, doctors need to order the appropriate tests to determine if there is a malignancy. When doctors dismiss symptoms or don’t realize they are signs of cancer, they may not provide the proper diagnostic care.
- Mistaking cancer for other conditions: Cancer is routinely misdiagnosed as other, less serious conditions. For example, breast cancer may be diagnosed as fibrocystic breasts or as mastitis in a breastfeeding mother, while lymphoma may be confused with a bacterial infection, and lung cancer may be misdiagnosed as asthma.
- Testing or lab errors: Even when the correct tests are ordered, medical care providers could misread or misinterpret the information. For example, a radiologist may miss or misinterpret signs of cancer on an X-ray, or a pathologist may misread a tissue sample.
- Subtle symptoms may be missed: If a patient has more minor symptoms or unusual symptoms, doctors may overlook them entirely.
- Failure to recommend proper screenings: Certain patients should be recommended for more frequent cancer screenings, especially if they have a strong family history of cancer. Genetic testing may also be an appropriate recommendation in certain cases. Unfortunately, doctors may sometimes fall short in providing the right recommendations to patients.
Consequences Of A Cancer Misdiagnosis
Unfortunately, the consequences of a cancer misdiagnosis are especially serious because time is often of the essence when it comes to the treatment of cancer. Many cancers are survivable if caught early, but become fatal once they have progressed to Stage IV and the cancer cells have spread throughout the body.
Some of the consequences of a cancer misdiagnosis can include:
- A need for much more invasive treatment – For example, breast cancer that is caught early may be treatable with a lumpectomy, while a mastectomy might become necessary if the cancer has spread due to a late diagnosis.
- Cancer becoming incurable – Once cancer has spread, it may no longer be curable, while it may have had better chances of eliminating the disease from the body with earlier treatment.
- Fatalities – A patient whose cancer has advanced due to a lack of treatment could die from the disease when they would have had better chances of survival had it been diagnosed sooner.
Because cancer is a serious disease, doctors who misdiagnose cancer sometimes argue that the patient would have died anyway or suffered the same medical issues even if they had been diagnosed promptly.
You need an experienced Philadelphia delayed diagnosis attorney who is prepared to present compelling evidence showing that the misdiagnosis worsened the situation and caused a less favorable outcome than might otherwise have been achieved if the patient had been treated earlier.
Contact the Philadelphia Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorneys at Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C., Today
If you are ready to pursue justice against the doctor who misdiagnosed you or your loved one, call us today at (610) 825-0500 to schedule your free consultation with a Philadelphia cancer misdiagnosis lawyer so you can learn more about the advocacy and support we can offer in your pursuit of justice.