Cancer cases

One in three people develop cancer at some stage in their lifetime. 

The early diagnosis of cancer often leads to more effective treatment and higher survival rates.

If you or a family member has suffered following a misdiagnosis of cancer, then you may be able to make a clinical negligence claim, if the misdiagnosis was negligent.

Sometimes, your doctor can misinterpret symptoms or test results. 

Sometimes, a doctor does not recognise worrying symptoms and there is a delay in referring to a specialist.

Sometimes, cancer is diagnosed when a patient does not in fact suffer from cancer and potentially damaging treatments such as chemotherapy can be put in place. 

Taylor&Emmet deal with clinical negligence cases in relation to many types of cancer, where your healthcare provider has been negligent.

Bowel Cancer

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK.  Eight out of ten people who are diagnosed with bowel cancer are 60 or over.  There are tests which can be carried out which help to identify bowel or colon cancer including colonoscopy, proctoscopy, virtual colonoscopy (CT), barium enema, biopsy, sigmoidoscopy and blood tests.  If you have suffered from rectal bleeding, then the appropriate examination and testing should take place which could assist with diagnosing cancer as early as possible.

Breast Cancer

Negligence cases are often concerned with the delayed diagnosis of breast cancer.  The outcome, following a diagnosis of breasts cancer, depends on how early or advanced the cancer is when it is diagnosed. 

Sometimes, delayed diagnosis can occur as a result of a lack of examination, a lack of proper analysis of biopsy and test results and sometimes lumps in the breast are diagnosed as being benign when they are in fact not.

Sometimes, with earlier diagnosis, a lumpectomy could be utilised rather than a full mastectomy.  Sometimes, due to a delay in diagnosis, chemotherapy could have been avoided.  Early diagnosis is vital in ensuring effective treatment for breast cancer.

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer causes a great many deaths.  Smoking is closely linked with lung cancer but it can also arise from inhaling other toxic substances such as asbestos.  Achieving a diagnosis as soon as possible is vital to effective treatment and palliative care. 

Sometimes, tests, including x-rays and biopsies, are delayed as a result of negligence by a health professional.  This can lead to a delay in treatment.  It can mean that some patients are unable to obtain palliative care to assist with pain relief and personal care.  It can also lead to premature death.

Cervical Cancer

Sadly, some women can receive inaccurate results from smear tests.  Sometimes, the specimen which is obtained, is not obtained properly to allow correct interpretation.  Sometimes, a specimen is not entered correctly or is reported incorrectly in laboratory analysis.

Cervical cancer should now largely be preventable through effective screening.  Pre-cancerous cell changes do not normally have symptoms which is why it is so important to have regular smear tests.

One of the symptoms of cervical cancer is bleeding from the vagina. Other methods of diagnosing cervical cancer include colposcopy and cone biopsy. 

Lymphoma

Lymph nodes in all parts of the body can be affected by lymphoma.  Lymphoma is a disease of the lymphatic system but it can also occur to other areas of the body.

Clinical negligence specialists are concerned by the late diagnosis or the late provision of treatment in cases involving lymphoma. 

Sometimes, there is difficulty in diagnosing a specific strand of lymphoma.  A delay of sufficient duration can lead to additional suffering and/or premature death.

Prostate Cancer

In common with other types of cancer cases, late diagnosis or a failure to diagnose prostate cancer can lead to significant problems for a patient who is unfortunate to have this disease.

Correct testing at an early stage can help with identifying the disease.  A failure to diagnose the disease can lead to patients having a greater mortality risk.

Leukaemia

Sometimes, people suffering with leukaemia can suffer a delayed diagnosis or a missed diagnosis.  Late diagnosis can result in premature death and a lack of palliative care.  Late diagnosis can result in additional suffering for a patient.

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