What Types of Cancer Are Most Commonly Misdiagnosed? Here’s What Every Patient Should Know

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but, unfortunately, patients are diagnosed with various kinds of cancer throughout the year. While no one wants to learn they have cancer, an erroneous or delayed diagnosis can be even more serious. This is because survival rates are typically higher when the disease is detected and treated in its early stages.

So, when a doctor makes the wrong diagnosis, the patient may miss the opportunity for potentially life-saving treatment. Furthermore, although most doctors are knowledgeable and conscientious, cancer is misdiagnosed – or missed entirely – with alarming frequency. Here is a guide to cancer misdiagnosis and how patients can protect their rights and receive the compensation they deserve when a deadly mistake is made.

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How Often Do Doctors Misdiagnose Cancer?

Depending on the research study, data shows doctors misdiagnose cancer in approximately 10% – 28% of patients. What’s more, some medical researchers believe the actual numbers are higher because many faulty diagnoses are never reported or pursued through legal action.   

In fact, a study at the Mayo Clinic found only 12% of patients seeking a second opinion had the diagnoses from their original health care providers confirmed. For the other 88% of patients, the diagnoses were completely changed for 21% and revised for 66%. When the legions of people who never request second opinions are added in, the probable number of misdiagnosed patients is staggering.

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What Are the Most Frequently Misdiagnosed Cancers?

While doctors can misdiagnose almost any kind of cancer, certain types are more prone to mistakes than others. Some cancers have symptoms that are similar to those associated with other conditions. Examples are lung cancer and mesothelioma, whose symptoms can resemble tuberculosis (TB) or other respiratory diseases. Other cancers are so rare that doctors may not recognize them.

Misdiagnoses occur most often with the following types of cancer:

• Lymphoma
• Breast cancer
• Melanoma
• Lung cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Mesothelioma  
• Childhood thyroid cancer
• Other uncommon types of cancer

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Are There Different Types of Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Yes. A doctor can misdiagnose a patient in various ways, resulting in different, but equally serious, consequences.

Diagnosing the wrong kind of cancer

Specific types of medications and chemotherapy are used for different types of cancer. Administering treatment for the wrong cancer can harm a patient while the existing disease progresses due to lack of treatment.  

Wrongly determining a patient does not have cancer

Undiagnosed cancer will eventually progress to a stage where the patient is no longer a candidate for successful treatment modes.   

Erroneously diagnosing cancer when none exists

This could cause a patient to unnecessarily be subjected to potentially harmful treatments that include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or medication.

What are the Signs of a Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Sometimes it is difficult to know whether a diagnosis is correct. A patient who shows no improvement or whose condition worsens after being treated for a certain disease may have been misdiagnosed. However, treatment methods do not always produce the desired result, even when the diagnosis is accurate. Nevertheless, if a doctor fails to pursue other treatment options or additional testing, it is wise to seek a second opinion.  

Here are some other signs that might indicate a patient was misdiagnosed:  

• The doctor did not take a thorough medical history, including the patient’s family members, before making a diagnosis
• The doctor is not willing to consider other options when treatment or medication is not effective
• A diagnosis was made based on limited information or minimal testing procedures
• The doctor does not listen to concerns or answer questions that come up after making the initial diagnosis

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What Are the Reasons for a Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Here are some of the more common causes of cancer misdiagnoses:

• A doctor fails to perform lung cancer tests on a non-smoking patient
• A patient’s symptoms may mimic those associated with another disease
• A technician administers a test incorrectly
• A lab employee records the wrong results
• A doctor fails to take a complete medical history, which could reveal a family pattern of certain hereditary cancers
• A doctor fails to recommend routine cancer screening tests such as mammograms or colonoscopies
• A doctor fails to refer a patient to a specialist when further testing is warranted

How Can Patients Decrease the Risk of a Cancer Misdiagnosis?

Medical expertise is not required to take a proactive role in your health care. There are steps patients can take to help physicians make more accurate diagnoses and provide more effective care.

Keeping up with routine diagnostic screenings is the single most important way to prevent serious diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, 99% of Stage 1 localized breast cancers are curable when diagnosed and treated early. Sadly, one of many negative consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic was a sharp decline in routine cancer screenings compared to previous years. The most dramatic drop, between 63% – 90%, occurred in diagnostic procedures for breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate cancers.  

Here are some other things patients can do to enhance the quality of their medical care:

• Provide each doctor with your complete medical records and history, including medications
• Inform your physicians about familial patterns of conditions such as cancer, heart disease and hypertension
• Describe your symptoms accurately, including when they began and whether they have worsened
• Make sure your records are updated whenever there is a change in your health or medications
• Do not hesitate to ask questions about any aspect of your care or treatment plan
• If in doubt, or if you are diagnosed with a serious disease such as cancer, get a second (or third or fourth) opinion

Let Our Experienced Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyers Start Your Case Today

If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to a cancer misdiagnosis or other form of medical malpractice, we can help. Our knowledgeable legal team knows what it takes to hold the responsible parties accountable and win the compensation you and your family deserve. There are strict filing deadlines for medical malpractice cases, so it’s important to contact us immediately.

Medical malpractice law is complicated, but finding the right medical malpractice lawyer is simple.

Don’t let the legal clock run out. Fill out the brief form below or call 1-800-CALL-SAM today for a free, no-obligation remote consultation from the comfort and safety of your home.  

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