| There are two mistakes commonly made by | | | | changes in the breast that may be cancerous. |
| doctors that can delay the diagnosis of a | | | | The mammogram creates images of the inside of |
| woman's breast cancer: | | | | the breast by using low dose x-rays of the |
| (1) failing to order a diagnostic test to rule out | | | | patient's compressed breast. The resulting images |
| cancer when a lump is felt in the breast and | | | | are then analyzed by doctors for the presence of |
| (2) misreading a mammogram. | | | | any structures or changes that might be |
| If a doctor makes either of these mistakes and | | | | cancerous. An abnormal finding is generally |
| causes a delay in the diagnosis of cancer until it | | | | followed by diagnostic testing, such as a biopsy to |
| reaches an advanced stage, the patient may | | | | determine whether it is cancerous. |
| have a claim for medical malpractice. | | | | Unfortunately, doctors sometimes miss what is |
| Failing to order diagnostic testing. | | | | literally in front of their eyes. They sometimes fail |
| Doctors all too often assure women that the | | | | to detect an abnormal structure or change from |
| lump in their breast is nothing more than a benign | | | | a prior mammogram. Other times, doctors |
| cyst. Perhaps these doctors are simply playing the | | | | incorrectly diagnose a structure or change from a |
| odds. After all, most abnormal findings from | | | | prior mammogram as benign without ordering any |
| breast examinations are due to something other | | | | diagnostic testing to rule out cancer. |
| than cancer. The odds are even stronger in young | | | | Mistake may result in medical malpractice claim |
| women with no family history of breast cancer. | | | | Either of the common mistakes described above |
| Statistically, women with not family history of | | | | can cause a delay in the diagnosis of the patient's |
| breast cancer are at a lower risk than those with | | | | breast cancer. The longer the detection of cancer |
| a family history. Further, the majority of new | | | | is delayed, the more likely it is that the cancer will |
| cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50 | | | | spread and reach an advanced stage. When the |
| years old. Some women have reported being told | | | | cancer spreads, the treatment options available to |
| by their doctor that they are too young to have | | | | the woman are more limited. In addition, her |
| cancer. Unfortunately, some of the women | | | | 5-year survival rate, the chance she has of |
| whose breast examination reveal a lump, even | | | | surviving the cancer for 5 years or more, even |
| young women and women with no family history | | | | with treatment, decreases significantly. At Stage |
| of breast cancer, turn out to have breast cancer. | | | | III, it is approximately 55 percent. By Stage IV, it |
| Perhaps these doctors believe they can tell | | | | can be as low as 20 percent. If the cancer is |
| whether a mass in the breast is cancerous by | | | | detected early, however, the 5-year survival rate |
| conducting a clinical breast examination. | | | | is over 80 percent, possibly as high as over 95 |
| Unfortunately, it is simply not possible to | | | | percent if it is detected early enough. |
| determine, based on a clinical breast examination, | | | | Medical mistakes can have tragic consequences. |
| whether a lump in the breast is a benign or | | | | This is particularly true for patients with cancer. |
| cancerous. Thus, most cancer specialist conclude | | | | The delay in diagnosis can result in the loss of the |
| that when a woman reports feeling a lump in her | | | | breast, limited treatment options, and in some |
| breast or a mass is detected during a clinical | | | | cases, can be fatal. When this happens, mistakes |
| breast examination, it is necessary to conduct | | | | such as those described above may constitute |
| diagnostic testing to determine whether the mass | | | | medical malpractice. |
| is cancerous. Examples of diagnostic tests include | | | | The law limits the amount of time a victim of |
| an aspiration, a biopsy, and a mammogram. | | | | medical malpractice and her family have in which |
| For those patient who do have breast cancer, the | | | | to pursue any resulting legal claim(s). Thus, if you |
| failure to order diagnostic testing can result in the | | | | suspect that you or a family member are a |
| growth and spread of the cancer. | | | | victim of medical malpractice you should contact |
| Misreading a mammogram | | | | an attorney immediately. |
| Mammograms are used to detect structures and | | | | |