Misdiagnosis - Cancer

Vanessa was a woman in her early 40s, with three children and a job in pharmacology.  One morning while getting dressed for work, Vanessa noticed a small lump in her left breast.  Concerned, she went to her doctor for a mammogram and ultrasound. 

The ultrasound was performed and clearly showed a palpable abnormality around the location Vanessa felt the lump in addition to other abnormalities.  Unfortunately for Vanessa and her family, the ultrasound was read as normal.  She was told to return for another mammogram in six months for a follow-up. 

Months went by and Vanessa felt the lump in her breast grow.  Distraught, she visited a new doctor who immediately detected the abnormality on her ultrasound.  He performed a biopsy and found the lump to be cancerous. 

Realizing that this was an aggressive cancer that should have been treated immediately when it should have been discovered six months prior, her current doctor put Vanessa on an intensive treatment plan. 

Over the next six months, Vanessa received a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.  Seemingly cancer-free, Vanessa returned to her normal life.  Unfortunately, within another six months, the breast cancer was found to have metastasized from the initial location to her brain, leg, and lungs.  She passed away two months later.  

The above scenario is based on a true story and provides a great example of the harm that can come from a misdiagnosis of breast cancer or any other form of cancer.  Medical malpractice lawsuits result from a vast variety of negligent or careless mistakes from doctors, nurses, or a medical center.  A misdiagnosis such as this one can cause irreparable damage and even death that otherwise would have not occurred.   

Cancer is one of the most terrifying and complex diseases that anyone can face. Medical professionals are beginning to understand the origins of cancer, but it is exceedingly easy to misdiagnose cancer as a less dangerous and less terminal illness. It can happen in nearly every part of the body and unless treated early and aggressively, is typically terminal.

Unfortunately, there are myriad misdiagnosed cancer patients each and every year. Most of these people eventually get the medical treatment they need, but bellicose cancers quickly overwhelm a healthy person and cause a painful and slow death.

The key to beating cancer is prompt diagnosis. If a medical professional made a diagnostic mistake that caused you to experience serious medical issues related to cancer, you may have the right to take legal action.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and approximately 10% of women will suffer from breast cancer during their lives. There have been a lot of breakthroughs in cancer treatment in recent years and the survival rates are higher than they have ever been with early diagnosis. It is important to diagnosis cancer as early as possible as it can easily spread to another bodily system as well. Unfortunately, doctors can misdiagnose breast cancer as something far less dangerous, a mistake that can have detrimental consequences.

Even though educational public service announcement programs have increased awareness of breast cancer and other cancers and the importance of early detection, doctors, medical professionals and hospitals still misdiagnose this deadly condition. Breast cancer in younger women is predominantly aggressive, and this age bracket of women are the most likely to be misdiagnosed.

Colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer and second most deadly cancer in the Western civilization. It is deadly if not discovered early because of its quick progression through the human body, and tragically some doctors fail to diagnose the cancer properly. Colon cancer symptoms are often confused with less deadly maladies which allow the cancer to progress faster and further.

Colon cancer can occur for several reasons, which can include poor diet, bad gastrointestinal health, and family history. People can live for years without knowing they have cancer because it was missed by their doctor during routine examinations.

The term “skin cancer” covers a huge number of damaging conditions such as melanoma, basal cell, and squamous cell carcinoma. One out of every three new cancers discovered in the United States is a skin cancer variation.

Many doctors still fail to recognize these many different types of skin cancers, and myriad patients develop deadly tumors unnecessarily. Hazardous cancers are often mistaken for simple moles, and many victims do not feel any symptoms of this particular type of cancer until it is far too late.

X-rays are some of today’s most valuable modern medical implements. They grant doctors the capability to see deep inside soft tissue to discover any possibly cancerous growths. Unfortunately, they are so simple to use many doctors misinterpret the results with often disastrous consequences for their patients.

A CAT Scan or Computerized Axial Tomography, is a three dimensional X-ray picture of the inside of a person’s body. It allows doctors to detect serious problems like cancerous tumors before they can spread. Unfortunately, these pictures are intricate making them easy to misread and even a small miscalculation can have calamitous consequences.

Although CAT scans customarily help medical professionals diagnose patients, they can confuse preoccupied or less capable hospital staff. A misread CAT scan will most often prevent a sick person from receiving the treatment they need or cause them to receive treatment they don’t need.

Misread CAT scans will cause serious medical consequences and even death.

A MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, uses high energy magnetic fields to make cells in water molecules inside tissues align perfectly to be able to produce a magnetic picture of the inside of a patient’s body. The results of these tests necessitate special training to be read properly.

Early stages and subtler forms of cancer often go unnoticed during a superficial glance at MRI results. Without meticulous attention and stringent care, many doctors simply do not recognize the warning indications and pronounce a possibly sick patient to be healthy.

Medical tests are expensive and laborious. Many doctors and medical insurance companies will not pay for what they deem unnecessary tests. Unfortunately, diseases such as cancer are very hard to detect without broad testing, and unless they are caught early, will quickly and ferociously develop into fatal conditions.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a misdiagnosis, please call us at the Law Offices of Moseley Collins.  Moseley specializes in winning medical malpractice cases in the cities of Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs.  He has over 40 years of experience and has recently won a medical malpractice case that resulted in the largest settlement of its kind in the history of California.  Call Moseley today for help.