Cancer Misdiagnosis Is More Common Than You Think

Learning that you have cancer can be devastating. And, learning that your cancer was not diagnosed until a later stage due to a healthcare worker’s error can be all the more heartbreaking. It’s difficult to accept that your chance at recovery was jeopardized by a healthcare worker you trusted.

It’s an error that cannot be forgiven. Learn just how common a cancer misdiagnosis is and what you can do if you have experienced one.

How Common is a Cancer Misdiagnosis?

A cancer misdiagnosis includes misclassifying any type of cancer or failing to diagnose its presence in the first place. In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins Medicine, researchers found that healthcare workers failed to diagnose about 1 out of every 71 cancer patients.

Such errors mean that patients may have to undergo additional treatments that would not have been necessary in an earlier stage of the cancer. This can put patients through physical, emotional, and financial strife they never should have experienced.

A cancer misdiagnosis does not only apply to patients with cancer. It can also apply to patients who do not have cancer but received a false-positive test. This can lead to the patient undergoing unneeded medical treatments and experiencing undue emotional trauma at the thought they have a potentially deadly disease.

Such misdiagnoses can result from a variety of errors, including the following:

• Failure to recommend a cancer screening to an at-risk person
• Failure to follow up on abnormal test results
• Misrepresenting test results to a patient
• Ignoring patient symptoms or medical history
• Misreading a tissue biopsy or imaging report

Experienced a Cancer Misdiagnosis? Contact Us Today

We understand the devastating consequences that a cancer misdiagnosis can have on a patient and their family. At Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen, we’re passionate about helping patients who have suffered from medical malpractice obtain justice. We have a strong track record of success in doing so, and we’re here to help you through this.

Call Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen at (866) 629-1061 to schedule a free consultation.