Medical Malpractice: Coping with a Florida Cancer Misdiagnosis

According to the American Cancer Society, cancer claimed over 40,000 victims in Florida just last year. With the numbers so staggering, it’s hard to believe that doctors could overlook the symptoms of cancer during a physical exam.

The truth is, doctors do notice these symptoms-they just don’t recognize them. The most common diagnosis mistake when it comes to cancer is misdiagnosis-your symptoms are seen as a less serious, non-life-threatening condition rather than a sign of cancer.

Here are just a few seemingly harmless symptoms of cancer:

• Chronic bronchitis. Breathing problems are often treated as allergies or asthma, but are a common sign of lung cancer.
• Fibrocystic breasts. Failure to diagnose breast cancer (link to breast cancer blog post) is the leading cause of breast cancer deaths. These masses are particularly dangerous if not caught early, yet many doctors are quick to call them benign.
• Hemorrhoids. Over-the-counter treatment has made it easier to dismiss their occurrence, but frequent hemorrhoids may be a symptom of colon cancer.
• Urinary tract infections. Doctors may prescribe a course of antibiotics without a care as to the cause of infection-which is why many cases of bladder cancer go undiagnosed.
• Migraines. Initial treatment for headaches, vision problems, or any other mental or emotional problems should always include a CT scan or MRI to rule out a brain tumor.

If you’ve received a Palm Beach cancer misdiagnosis, you know how shocking the discovery is. You have the same responses as an early diagnosis-worry, treatment options, chances of survival-but now your odds have been drastically affected. If your doctor had interpreted your symptoms correctly a year ago, he or she could have prevented the drastic, late-stage treatments you now face.

If your doctor did any of the following actions, he or she could be guilty of medical malpractice in Palm Beach:

• Incorrectly identified your cancer symptoms
• Delayed treatment, affecting your best chances of survival
• Failed to order follow-up testing, such as blood tests or referral to a specialist
• Did not interpret your lab results or pathology report correctly
• Failed to order comprehensive cancer screenings, such as a PET scan, MRI or mammogram.

As experienced Palm Beach medical malpractice attorneys, we realize that cancer misdiagnosis is a particularly harmful form of Florida medical malpractice, because the results can be fatal for the patient when the diagnosis is finally revealed.

If someone you love has suffered because of a doctor’s incompetence, negligence, or other dismissal of cancer symptoms, call Fetterman & Associates today at (866) 86501244 for a free consultation.