Cancer misdiagnosis cases are a significant subset of medical negligence claims, often involving serious consequences due to delays in diagnosis or inappropriate treatment. Here’s a structured overview of these
cases:
1. What Is a Cancer Misdiagnosis?
A cancer misdiagnosis can involve:
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False Negative: Failing to diagnose cancer that is present (delayed diagnosis).
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False Positive: Diagnosing cancer when none is present.
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Misclassification: Incorrectly identifying the type or stage of cancer.
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Delayed Referral or Testing: Failing to act on red flags or abnormal results in time.
2. Commonly Misdiagnosed Cancers
Some cancers are more prone to misdiagnosis due to their nonspecific symptoms:
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Lung cancer (often mistaken for chest infections or asthma)
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Breast cancer (lumps missed or misinterpreted on scans)
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Colorectal cancer (symptoms confused with IBS or hemorrhoids)
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Prostate cancer (symptoms misattributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia)
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Ovarian cancer (non-specific symptoms like bloating or pelvic pain)
3. Causes of Misdiagnosis
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Inadequate examination or history taking
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Failure to order appropriate tests (e.g., imaging, biopsy)
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Errors in interpreting scans or pathology results
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Lack of follow-up on abnormal results
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Communication breakdown between primary and secondary care
4. Legal Considerations
To succeed in a claim for medical negligence, a claimant must prove:
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Duty of care was owed by the healthcare provider.
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Breach of duty occurred (i.e., care fell below a reasonable standard).
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Causation: The breach caused avoidable harm — e.g., cancer progressed or the chance of survival was significantly reduced.
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Loss: The claimant suffered harm (e.g., worsened prognosis, unnecessary treatment).
James McSweeney has acted for Cancer Misdiagnosed patients – if you would like to discuss further, please call us on 01-4521200.
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