Delay in Diagnosing Cancer: Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyer in Bend, OR

Cancer is a very serious and life-threatening condition that must be treated in a timely fashion in order to avoid death and other lasting side effects. The rate of new cancer diagnoses’ every year is 442.4 per 100,000 according to the National Cancer Institute. The National Cancer Institute also notes that cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Most people will have a personal connection with cancer in their lifetime, whether they are diagnosed with cancer themselves or know someone diagnosed with cancer. The diagnosis of cancer for the individual affected and their loved ones can be incredibly devastating. What can make a new cancer diagnosis even more devastating is when the diagnosis comes after an extended period of time in which a healthcare provider should have diagnosed the disease. When a delay in a cancer diagnosis occurs, and it results in harm (including death), it is often considered medical malpractice if the healthcare provider should have diagnosed the disease sooner. 

 

What is Cancer?

 

Cancer is a disease that causes certain cells in the body to rapidly replicate and spread to different parts of the body. It is a disease that can start anywhere in the body and the cells that replicate are either damaged or abnormal. The rapid multiplication of cancer cells lead to cancerous tumors if it is a solid type of tumor. There are certain types of cancers that are considered blood cancers, and they generally do not form solid tumors (i.e. leukemia). 

 

What Cancers are Most Commonly Diagnosed?

 

While there are many different types of cancers, the most commonly diagnosed cancers include the following:

 

• Breast
• Lung
• Bronchus
• Prostate
• Colon
• Rectum
• Melanoma
• Bladder
• non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• Kidney
• Renal pelvis
• Endometrial
• Leukemia
• Pancreatic
• Thyroid
• Liver

 

How Does a Cancer Misdiagnosis Affect Cancer Victims?

 

Cancer often spreads rapidly, meaning that treatment must be started right away to avoid the spread of cancer as well as potential death. Any delay can have a number of consequences, including the following:

 

• Requirement for more toxic and invasive treatment (i.e. the need for chemotherapy when if diagnosed in a timely manner, this treatment could have been avoided.). 
• Death due to a delay in treatment
• Progression of disease, leading to to the cancer being more difficult to treat or even incurable

 

How Can a Cancer Misdiagnosis be Due to Medical Malpractice?

 

A cancer misdiagnosis is often due to medical malpractice. This is because a misdiagnosis refers to a medical provider providing a diagnosis that is incorrect. Examples of medical malpractice related cancer misdiagnosis include the following:

 

• Failure to recommend appropriate screening measures (i.e. blood work, imaging, etc.)
• Failure to perform diagnostic testing
• Failure to interpret screening measures correctly
• Failure to interpret diagnostic testing correctly
• Diagnosing the patient with another medical condition (or even telling the patient that there is nothing wrong with them when they do in fact have cancer)
• Failing to fully assess a patient reporting signs or symptoms of cancer
• Providing inappropriate treatment for the wrong diagnosis

 

Do You Believe You Were Injured by a Delay in Cancer Misdiagnosis?  Call Our Medical Malpractice Lawyer in Bend, OR for Help

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.