After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most frequent cancer seen in American men. Roughly 200,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
Early detection increases a man’s likelihood to survive prostate cancer. However, if your doctor failed to diagnose your prostate cancer until aggressive and/or toxic treatment was required, or until it had spread to other parts of your body, you may have a claim for medical malpractice. Reach out to one of our Michigan inadequate monitoring attorneys today.
A lot of men cringe at the thought of being tested for prostate cancer. But being brave and having a screening can save lives. Irregularities of the prostate or cancer can be diagnosed through a number of tests including:
Detecting prostate cancer in the earliest stages makes it possible to identify tumors when they’re still easily treatable and before the cancer metastasizes and spreads to other parts of the body.
Your physician may be responsible for failing to diagnose prostate cancer if he or she failed to follow up with any of these symptoms and order additional testing:
• The inability to urinate;
• Blood in your urine or semen;
• Pain or burning during urination;
• Frequent urination, especially at night;
• A weak or interrupted urinary flow;
• Painful ejaculation; and
• Pain or stiffness in your back, hips, upper thighs, or pelvis.
If your cancer is now harder or even impossible to treat because of a delayed diagnosis, The Buchanan Firm may be able to help you hold your doctor accountable.
With a variety of medications available to treat some of the symptoms of prostate cancer, a doctor may just write a prescription for the symptoms rather than try to find out the real cause of your symptoms. If you told your doctor about any of the above symptoms and were prescribed medication for the symptom but later discovered you had prostate cancer, it may be grounds for a medical malpractice action.
If abnormal results are detected with a DGE or PSA test, your doctor should follow up with a biopsy to rule out prostate cancer. This is the only accepted test for confirming prostate cancer and should be performed after an abnormal DGE or PSA. There are also some other tests that may be performed to determine whether the cancer has spread, including:
• A bone scan (bone scintigraphy);
• Blood tests
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan; and
• An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
If your doctor failed to follow up with a biopsy or additional tests to determine if you have prostate cancer and if it had spread, it may have impacted your ability to successfully fight cancer.
Not every misdiagnosis of or failure to diagnose prostate cancer is the result of medical malpractice. The Buchanan Firm will closely examine your medical history and consult medical experts to evaluate your specific case. If we find your physician has acted negligently, we will help you in seeking compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
However, if you or a loved one has suffered harm due to a missed or delayed prostate cancer diagnosis, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney at Buchanan Firm in Michigan for a free consultation. We can discuss your situation if you believe you’ve been injured as the result of a misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, or an error in lab results.
Our firm proudly serves people all across Michigan, including major cities like Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, Lansing, Holland, St. Joe, and Ann Arbor, and rural towns such as Lowell, Ada, Fremont, Newaygo, Grand Haven, Rockford, and Cedar Springs. We will meet you after-hours, at home or in the hospital to accommodate you.
Contact us today!