Can Doctors Misdiagnose Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women, forming in the breast tissue. It arises in the lining cells of the ducts or the lobules in the breast’s glandular tissue. It is the most common cancer among women besides skin cancer, constituting almost 30% of all new female cancers reported annually.

Early detection is crucial to ensuring effective treatment and a better prognosis. Medical treatment involves combining surgical removal, radiation therapy, and medication to curb the spread of microscopic cancer flowing through your blood.

Breast Cancer Statistics

Statistics from the American Cancer Society show that women in the country have a 13% chance of contracting the disease at some point in their lifetime. They also estimate that there will be more than 250,000 cases of invasive breast cancer and close to 44,000 fatalities this year. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women every year, with lung cancer being the first. It is more prevalent in females than in males, often in middle-aged and older women.

Despite the extensive knowledge that doctors and nurses have, cases of breast cancer misdiagnosis remain rampant. The disease ranks among the top five misdiagnosed cancers, alongside lung, colon, skin, and lymphoma.

Here’s what you need to know about breast cancers and why doctors often misdiagnose them.

What Are the Types of Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a growth that develops in the cells of the breasts and spreads to other parts of the body with time. It occurs when damaged or abnormal cells divide and crowd out the healthy cells in your breast and spread to other areas in your body, including the lymph nodes. It is a non-communicable disease that can be easily treated during its early stages. Some of the factors that increase the risk of breast cancer include:

1. Family history of breast cancer.
2. Harmful alcohol consumption.
3. Tobacco use.
4. Obesity.
5. History of radiation exposure.
6. Postmenopausal hormone therapy.
7. Increasing age.

Breast cancer commonly manifests as a small painless lump or thickening in the breast at first. You should seek medical attention within the first two months after spotting an abnormal breast lump. Other symptoms of breast cancer include:

1. Pain in the nipple or breast.
2. Abnormal nipple discharge.
3. Nipple retraction.
4. Swelling of part of the breast.
5. Redness, dimpling, or alteration of the skin on the breasts.
6. Alteration in shape, size, or appearance of a breast.
7. Enlarged lymph nodes under your arm.

The types of breast cancer include:

1. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
2. Inflammatory breast cancer.
3. Invasive ductal carcinoma.
4. Invasive lobular carcinoma.
5. Angiosarcoma.
6. Paget’s disease.

How Does Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis Occur?

Breast cancer diagnosis errors can be in the form of wrong, missed, or delayed diagnosis and can yield devastating results for the patient. Cancers can display similar symptoms to other diseases, leading to a misdiagnosis if your doctor cannot significantly distinguish one from the other.

A wrong or missed diagnosis of breast cancer can lead to years of extensive and costly medical procedures that may worsen your condition or even death. A delayed cancer diagnosis can make you miss your ideal window for treatment and reduce your chances of survival.

Most doctors mistake breast cancer for cysts, mastitis, or fibrocystic breast disease due to similar symptoms. Lack of knowledge regarding the causes of your symptoms is another factor that leads to misdiagnosis. Always seek a second opinion from another medical professional before commencing any medical treatment procedure.

Diagnosis errors caused by medical malpractice or doctor’s negligence are punishable by law, and you are allowed to seek compensation for damages. A medical malpractice attorney will help you file a medical malpractice claim and get the compensation you deserve.

How Do You Determine Medical Malpractice?

Doctors and medical professionals are liable for misdiagnosis, especially if evidence indicates they were negligent in their duties. Negligence or medical malpractice is punishable by law due to its effects on a person’s body. Medical malpractice lawsuits help patients who get misdiagnosed acquire the justice and compensation they deserve. Medical malpractice occurs when

1. The doctor misreads the mammogram, ultrasound, X-ray, breast MRI, or CT scan test results.
2. The health provider offers improper treatment.
3. The doctor fails to recognize the symptoms.
4. The doctor does not discover the cancer cells during a diagnostic mammogram or other tests.
5. The doctor delays or fails to take a biopsy on abnormal tissue.

Mammograms only work 80% of the time, so there is a high risk of getting a misdiagnosis after the test. It is crucial to utilize other breast cancer screening methods to ensure that you acquire accurate results that are not misleading. You should contact the law firm in Pennsylvania if you would like to file a medical malpractice case for cancer misdiagnosis.

What Are the Benefits of Seeking Legal Help?

An experienced attorney will help you initiate a lawsuit and file a claim against a negligent doctor or medical professional. They will help you establish the facts illustrating how the doctor breached their legal duties and how the breach influenced your injuries. Some of the benefits of hiring an attorney include:

1. They will handle all the necessary paperwork.
2. They deal with insurance companies.
3. They negotiate the best settlement possible.
4. They provide the appropriate resources to back up your claim and improve your chances of success.
5. They argue your case before a judge or jury.
6. They accelerate the legal process.

You should consider hiring a lawyer if you feel committed to the process of filing a medical malpractice case.

Are You Looking for Breast Cancer Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Pennsylvania?

At Frischman & Rizza, we understand that misdiagnosis through medical malpractice can cause you to develop breast cancer & ruin your health. Your doctor or medical provider should be able to diagnose breast cancer and provide proper treatment to help you recover.

Failure to identify and treat breast cancer early can lead to several surgeries, chemotherapy, prolonged treatments, or even premature death. You could incur several damages and financial losses that affect your quality of life in the long run.

Our medical malpractice lawyers have the knowledge and skills to help you file and investigate your claim. We will use our experience to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (412) 291-9377 for a free consultation.