| Cancer is a word that strikes fear in most people. | | | | than 49,000 women will die as a result of breast |
| It is no surprise that a woman can find it very | | | | cancer. How many of these women would |
| reassuring when she hears her doctor tell her that | | | | survive their cancer if their doctors had |
| she just has fibrocystic breast changes and that | | | | investigated complaints of a lump in the breast or |
| there is no need to worry about the lump in her | | | | an abnormal finding on a clinical breast exam and |
| breast. But this reassurance should only come | | | | had found the breast cancer earlier, before it |
| after the doctor has ordered appropriate | | | | spread or metastasized? |
| diagnostic tests to rule out the possibility of | | | | A clinical breast examination simply cannot |
| breast cancer. Otherwise, the patient may not | | | | accurately differentiate between a fibrocystic |
| discover she has breast cancer until it is too late. | | | | breast changes and a cancerous growth. This is |
| If a doctor concludes that a lump in a female | | | | why a doctor should generally recommend that |
| patient's breast is just a fibrocystic breast | | | | diagnostic testing be immediately performed |
| changes and it later turns out to be breast | | | | ordered if a lump is detected in the breast of a |
| cancer, the patient may have a legal claim for | | | | female patient. Examples of diagnostic tests can |
| medical malpractice against that doctor. | | | | include an imaging study such as a mammogram |
| Perhaps some 80 percent of breast related issues | | | | or an ultrasound, or a sampling, such as by biopsy |
| are not the result of breast cancer. Further, the | | | | or aspiration. Each has the potential for a false |
| majority of new breast cancer cases occur in | | | | negative and it may be necessary to perform |
| women over 50 years of age. It is thus not | | | | more than one test before cancer of the breast |
| surprising that some doctors will diagnose an | | | | can be ruled out. |
| abnormal finding from a clinical breast examination, | | | | When a doctor diagnoses a lump in the breast of |
| especially with a younger patient, as due to | | | | a female patient as nothing more than a |
| fibrocystic breast changes and not due to breast | | | | fibrocystic change based only on a clinical breast |
| cancer. The statistics are in favor of such a | | | | examination, that doctor puts the patient at risk |
| diagnosis. | | | | of not knowing she has cancer until it progresses |
| Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story. If | | | | to an advanced, possibly untreatable, stage. The |
| cancer of the breast is detected while in its less | | | | failure to conduct appropriate diagnostic testing, |
| advanced stages (stage 0, stage I or stage II), | | | | including an imaging study such as a mammogram |
| the 5-year survival rate is generally over 80 | | | | or ultrasound, or a sampling, such as a biopsy or |
| percent. The 5-year survival rate is a statistical | | | | aspiration, may constitute a departure from the |
| measure used by cancer specialists to identify the | | | | accepted standard of medical care and may result |
| percentage of patients who survive the disease | | | | in a medical malpractice claim. |
| for at least five years after diagnosis. Thus, a | | | | Contact a Lawyer Today |
| 5-year survival rate above 80 percent means | | | | If you or a family member were assured by a |
| that, statistically, more than 80 out of every 100 | | | | doctor that a lump in the breast was merely due |
| patients diagnosed with a less advanced stage will, | | | | to fibrocystic breast changes which later turned |
| with appropriate treatment, survive the disease | | | | out to be breast cancer that was not diagnosed |
| for at least 5 years after diagnosis. | | | | until it was advanced because of a delay caused |
| If the breast cancer is not detected until it has | | | | by the doctor's misdiagnosis, you need to contact |
| reached stage III (generally involves larger tumors | | | | a lawyer immediately. |
| in the breast or a greater spread of the cancer | | | | This article is for informational purposes only and |
| to lymph nodes), the 5-year survival rate drops | | | | is not intended to be legal (or medical) advice. You |
| to approximately 54%. For stage IV (generally | | | | should not act, or refrain from acting, based upon |
| involves a tumor that is larger that 5 cm or the | | | | any information at this web site without seeking |
| spread of the cancer to distant organs), the | | | | professional legal counsel. A competent lawyer |
| 5-year survival rate is approximately 20%. | | | | who is experienced in medical malpractice can help |
| Approximately 12 percent of women will | | | | you determine if you have a claim for the delay in |
| experience breast cancer in their life time. This | | | | the diagnosis of the breast cancer. Do not wait to |
| year alone, approximately 185,000 women will be | | | | contact a lawyer are there is a time limit in cases |
| diagnosed with breast cancer. Tragically, more | | | | like these. |