Tests Show Possibility Of Cancer Yet Doctor Repeatedly Fails To Notify Patient by Joseph Hernandez

Tests Show Possibility Of Cancer Yet Doctor Repeatedly Fails To Notify Patient
by: Joseph Hernandez

Male patients tend to possess a poor knowledge of prostate cancer, their own risk for the cancer, and how to determine whether they have prostate cancer. Many men have minimal, if any, knowledge of the merit of testing for prostate cancer or of the recommendations for when they should commence testing, how frequently to screen, and the meaning of screening test results. However, far too often, doctors diagnose the cancer only after it is past the early stages as a consequence of deficient of screening.

Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases are all too common. One typical medical mistake that is at the root of these cases happens when a man's family doctor (1) orders a PSA blood test, (2) notes abnormally raised levels of PSA and but (3) does not inform the patient, fails to refer the patient to a urologist, and fails to order a biopsy to determine whether the elevated PSA is due to prostate cancer. The claim below is an example of this problem.

A doctor, an internist, learned that his male patient had a PSA of 8. (anything above a 4.0 is ordinarily thought to be high). The physician did not tell the patient. The doctor failed to refer the patient to a specialist. The doctor did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. This time the PSA level had gone up to 13.6. Once again, the physician did not inform the patient. Again, the doctor did not refer the patient to a urologist. And again, the doctor did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. It was not until three years after first finding out about the patient’s elevated PSA level that the physician at last advised him that he most likely had cancer. By the time he was diagnosed he had advanced prostate cancer and surgery was not one of the treatment options. Treating doctors instead advised radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Neither of these would cure the cancer but they might impede the cancer’s advancement and additional spread. The law firm that handled this matter reported that they took the case to mediation where they achieved a settlement of $600,000.

However doing nothing after observing abnormal test results creates a situation in which those patients who do in fact have prostate cancer might not discover they have it until it has spread outside the prostate, limiting the patient’s choices for treatment, and substantially lessening the chances that the patient will be able to survive the cancer.

At a minimum they ought to inform the patient that the results of the screening tests are abnormal and refer the patient to a specialist. In addition, the doctor can suggest diagnostic testing, like a biopsy.

This case illustrates a kind of error that can lead to the delayed diagnosis of a patient’s prostate cancer. It comes about when the physician actually follows the guidelines and screens male patients for prostate cancer however does not follow through when the test results are abnormal.

About The Author

Joseph Hernandez is an attorney accepting medical malpractice cases. To learn about prostate cancer and other cancer matters including colon cancer visit the websites

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.medical-negligence-law.com