Misdiagnosis Of Breast Cancer Article

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Misdiagnosis of Breast Cancer

Last year approximately 208,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 40,000 died from the disease. Millions more women, and even some men, are breast cancer survivors. Breast cancer survival rates are dependent on early detection and treatment.

Author: Sara Goldstein

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If detected in the early stages, there is a 95% survival rate. But the longer the diagnosis is delayed, the more progressive the cancer can get and the survival rate drops 80%.

Misdiagnosis of breast cancer occurs when the medical professional overlooks or misses the cancer, or diagnoses it as something else. In rare instances, breast cancer can be diagnosed when no cancer exists at all. Misdiagnosis can occur when the doctor is inexperienced and fails to see the signs of breast cancer, or when a biopsy is marked incorrectly, and when other necessary tests are not read properly or even performed.

One of the most common types of medical malpractice claims is a misdiagnosis. When a doctor fails to properly diagnosis breast cancer, the patient suffers emotionally, mentally and financially. To protect yourself against breast cancer misdiagnosis, you should get a second opinion. Sometimes doctors make mistakes and are wrong about their findings. When you see another doctor or a specialist, you can verify the original diagnosis and possibly learn about other treatments and options available to you.

Women can help themselves detect breast cancer early and possibly avert a misdiagnosis by getting an annual mammogram. If you are over 35, you should be getting a mammogram once a year. One of the best early detection techniques is a mammogram. However, 13 million women over the age of 40 have never had one. You should also regularly conduct a self-breast examination once a month. Check your breasts for lumps or any unusual changes, such as:

• An unusual increase in the size of a breast
• Any new lumps
• Breast thickening
• A breast unusually lower than the other
• Any changes in your nipples, such as puckering or dimpling
• Bloody discharge from your nipples

If you have been a victim of breast cancer misdiagnosis and are in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, please visit the website of Weiss & Paarz, P.C.

About Author

New Jersey Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Weiss & Paarz, P.C. believe that in order to maintain the expertise needed to be consistently successful, we must focus 100% of our professional time on handling medical malpractice cases only.

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Misdiagnosis of Breast Cancer