Why and How Cancer is Misdiagnosed

The sooner a doctor diagnoses most cancers, the higher the likelihood that cancer can be treated. Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis of cancer, however, are all too common. In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 41% of people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Sadly, 10 to 20 percent of all cases of cancer are misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis or a delayed diagnosis can have devastating consequences. Many deaths could be prevented if the rate of misdiagnosis was not so high.

It is estimated that approximately 10 to 20 percent of all cases of cancer are misdiagnosed.

A suspicion of cancer can come about in many ways. It may come up through a routine physical examination, or from a cancer screening testing or other laboratory tests, or because of symptoms which you bring to your doctor’s attention. It is not your responsibility to know that your symptoms may indicate cancer. That is the duty of your doctor. Cancer can be overlooked or misdiagnosed in many ways including:

• Failure to perform a thorough and complete physical examination
• Failure to take a careful and detailed history
• Failure to adequately follow up or communicate with the patient
• Failure to recognize early warning signs and symptoms
• Failure to recommend or offer cancer screening
• Failure to recommend tests due to financial concerns
• Improper performance or interpretation of radiological or laboratory testing
• Failure to refer to appropriate specialists
• Communication errors between doctors and medical facilities

Failure to diagnose cancer can have devastating consequences. A medical malpractice lawyer, like John Risvold, can help you determine if a misdiagnosis occurred, and help you or your family in this time of need.