Because Your Future Matters

A prompt cancer diagnosis is critical

On Behalf of | Mar 23, 2023 | Medical Malpractice |

One of the most important things with a cancer diagnosis is to make it as early as possible. Medical experts agree that early detection gives people the absolute best chance of recovery.

A big reason for this is that cancer becomes vastly more difficult to treat as it progresses. For example, someone could have cancer in a single internal organ, which could be treated through surgery. But if the diagnosis of that cancer is delayed by a year, it could spread to other nearby organs. This could make surgery impossible. Suddenly, instead of an easy fix with a surgical procedure, the person may find that they have a terminal condition that will never be cured. The difference isn’t the type of cancer or the treatment options available, but simply when that disease was discovered.

A doctor’s mistake could delay treatment

As a result, doctors need to be very careful to make a proper diagnosis as early as they can. For instance, someone may be concerned that they have skin cancer. If a doctor tells them they just have acne and that they shouldn’t worry about it, the disease can progress and spread. Untreated skin cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer in the world. But, in its early stages, it can often be removed with a simple surgery that may only need a local anesthetic and may only take a few minutes to carry out. The mistake that the doctor made in diagnosing the problem is what really led to the patient having such a severe condition.

Do you think your doctor may have been negligent and failed to diagnose a type of cancer that should have been obvious to a medical professional? Did the doctor perhaps misdiagnose cancer as a less dangerous condition? If things like this happen to you, you need to be aware of all of your legal options.