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Being diagnosed with cancer can be a traumatic and life changing experience for any patient. Thankfully, many cancers can now be treated successfully, especially if they are diagnosed in the early stages, and the general rule is that the earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances that a patient will have a successful outcome.
Cancer is a disease caused by a change in the body’s cells, and is one of the most common illnesses in the UK. It is the cause of thousands of deaths every year, as the regular cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled way, and can cause a lump – also known as a “tumour”. Some cancers, such as leukaemia, do not form tumours; instead, it is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow that is identified by a significant increase in blood cells. Leukaemia is a broad term covering a large number of diseases.
If you or a loved one’s cancer has been misdiagnosed our solicitors can help you get the justice you deserve. Call us on 0203 817 9430 to talk to a clinical negligence specialist bout your situation.
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The minimum period of a delay in diagnosis which can have an adverse effect will vary, depending on the type of cancer and which stage of severity it is at. This being said, it is likely to be months as opposed to weeks. The test for receiving compensation is what could have happened had you been diagnosed correctly at an earlier stage, or what would have been done differently. The main factor is determining whether earlier diagnosis and/or treatment could have helped the patient.
Unfortunately, cancers can occasionally be missed, resulting in a delay in diagnosis and therefore a delay in starting any necessary treatment. Appropriate tests and investigations may not have been carried out, or blood samples, scans, or smears may have been misinterpreted. In some circumstances, a delay in diagnosis can be extremely serious, especially if the cancer has developed to a more advanced stage. This can harm a patient’s chance of making a full recovery, or even reduce their chance of survival.
In addition to claims relating to delays in diagnosis, sometimes the reverse happens and patients are incorrectly diagnosed with cancer. This can result in patients undergoing unnecessary and often unpleasant treatment and/or surgery, as well as suffering severe psychological trauma caused by the belief that they are potentially terminally ill. For example, there has been some high profile cases in the press where women have been incorrectly diagnosed with breast cancer and have had breast tissue unnecessarily removed.
Here at Stephensons, our areas of specialism include, but are not limited to:
If you would like to discuss a cancer misdiagnosis with a member of our expert clinical negligence team, please call us on 0203 817 9430. Alternatively, you can complete our online enquiry form and we will contact you as soon as possible.
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