A Cancer Diagnosis When the Patient Doesn’t Have Cancer
Some of the symptoms associated with cancer overlap with symptoms of other diseases and conditions. Doctors must perform testing to get an accurate assessment and to diagnose the patient accurately. However, diagnosing someone with cancer when they don’t have a terminal illness can have damaging effects.
For instance, the patient may go through treatment they don’t need, including radiation and chemotherapy. The patient may take medication and deal with the emotional distress of the situation. When the patient eventually finds out about the misdiagnosis, they can hold the doctor accountable.
When a Doctor Diagnoses a Cancer Patient with Another Condition
If someone has cancer, they must receive treatment to help cure the terminal disease. As such, doctors must diagnose this condition accurately. Failure to do so means the patient doesn’t receive the treatment they need. Cancer worsens and reaches a stage in which treatment is no longer helpful.
If a doctor misdiagnoses a patient who has cancer, essential time passes. However, with early detection, cancer is treatable. The misdiagnosis prevents early treatment, and the patient can suffer from declining health, and the prognosis worsens.
Doctors must provide necessary and responsible care to their patients. A misdiagnosis breaks this responsibility and puts patients at risk of more harm than good. Patients who suffer because of doctor negligence deserve justice.
Our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Brown & Barron are here to help our clients every step of the way. We’ll be the guide to help pursue compensation from the negligent party to help our clients move forward in the most positive manner possible.