Cancer Misdiagnosis

Cancer misdiagnosis can take two forms. Firstly, diagnosingcancer can be delayed as the symptoms of cancer are sometimes misdiagnosed as other types of illness or disease. In such cases, because of the delay in discovering and diagnosing cancer, the patient’s prognosis may well be worse and the cancer may be harder to treat.

Secondly, other treatable illnesses or diseases can be wrongly misdiagnosed as being cancer. In these situations the patient may have gone through invasive and unnecessary treatments and also endured the psychological and emotional trauma of believing that they have cancer.

Women with ovarian and cervical cancer are at the heart of problem of misdiagnosed cancer. According to the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, ovarian cancer is misdiagnosed in over half of all cases and therefore patients’ treatment is severely delayed. Target Ovarian Cancer is calling for better early diagnosis of the disease which is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome, urinary tract infections or ovarian cysts.

If ovarian cancer is diagnosed whilst it is in the first early stages then the survival rates can be as high as 100%. However, 75% of cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed when the disease has already spread, making the treatment of the cancer more difficult.

Cervical cancer and its common misdiagnosis were brought into the forefront of the public eye when Jade Goody passed away in 2009 following a battle with cervical cancer. Cervical cancer, like ovarian cancer, is often misdiagnosed as other illnesses when the disease is at its most treatable. Due to delays in diagnosis, patients can be left infertile and treating the cancer canagain be more challenging.

If your cancer diagnosis was delayed and initially misdiagnosed or another illness was wrongly misdiagnosed as being cancer then you may be able to make a claim for medical negligence. Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors have years of experience working with cancer patients and their families and also individuals who have suffered psychiatric harm as a result of being incorrectly told that they have cancer.

Bolt Burdon Kemphas a history of successfully securing compensation for both types of cancer misdiagnosis and understanding the costs of rehabilitation and treatment. If you are a victim of misdiagnosed cancer then you shouldn’t have to suffer in silence. You can make a claim and receive justice for the negligence that you have suffered at the hands of medical professionals.