Holding Physicians Liable For Delaying Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer

Imagine that your doctor physically examines your prostate gland for any signs of

potential cancer including an enlargement or a hardening of the prostate and whether there are any growths present on the gland. Imagine the doctor orders blood tests, including a PSA test for the early detection of prostate cancer. This is the way to check if a male without any symptoms of prostate cancer might actually have it. Imagine the results actually were not normal.

But, there remains debate amid some physicians over the way to test asymptomatic male patients for prostate cancer or whether to screen at all. They hold that screening has little, if any, value. One factor, however, continues to be constant. If the result of a screening test is abnormal the individual ought to be told about the results and either be referred to a specialist or be told about the option for diagnostic testing, like a biopsy. Once more, though, a number of physicians also take the position that, at least under certain instances, a man who is diagnosed with prostate cancer does not have to undergo treatment right away and just needs to carefully monitor the cancer.

Should this happen, the cancer becomes incurable before the patient turns symptomatic and is finally diagnosed. However, if a doctor detected that the patients prostate was enlarged or there was a nodule on the gland and the PSA test results indicated abnormally high levels of the antigen and the physician failed to inform the patient about the abnormal results, the man would likely assume that meant the results were all normal.

The longer the delay in finally doing tests that will lead to a diagnosis of the cancer the larger the likelihood that by the point it is eventually diagnosed the cancer will have reached an advanced stage. This will considerably lessen treatment options, will wipe out the chance of a cure, and will cut short the patients life. There are lawsuits that allege a physician did screen a patient and the test results were abnormal yet the physician did not inform the patient and did not recommend further testing or to refer the patient to a specialist.

Screening tests might yield false positives. This means that certain patients with abnormal screening results will not have cancer. But performing screening tests for cancer is meaningless if there is no follow up as it provides the patient a false sense of security thinking he has no cancer as the doctor tested him and said nothing to him that the tests revealed he might have cancer. Physicians commonly agree the requirement for follow up when the results of screening tests come back as abnormal.

by: Joseph Hernandez

POST COMMENT

Treatment for Cold Sore on Tongue Lawsuit Against Doctor For Colon Cancer Death Of 27 Year Old Results In $2.5 Million Verdict Restless Leg Syndrome Treatment - Some Suggestions The â€?Cool Ruler”, Gregory Isaacs Succumbs to Lung area Cancer malignancy Would Skin Tighteners And Skin Treatments Genuinely Help To Cut Down Lines And Wrinkles? Cure Gynaecomastia and Avoid Surgery with Gynexin Gynecomastia Treatment Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Its Treatment Shin Splints - Prevention & Treatment Get The Best Botox Treatment In Bangkok Genentech/roche: Uk's Nice Remains Negative Over Avastin For Colorectal Cancer The Most Effective Baldness Treatments Chiropractic Practice Well Known For Pain Treatment Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Effective Treatment and Cure