Tests Show Possible Prostate Cancer But Physician Does Not Inform Patient
Men are likely to possess a scant understanding of prostate cancer
, their own chances for the cancer, and the ways in which they can figure out if they have prostate cancer. Many male patients are not aware of what it means to test for prostate cancer or that screening needs to be undertaken before they manifest symptoms. Unfortunately doctors sometimes fail to screen male patients or wait too long before ordering diagnostic testing given an abnormal result from a screening test.
Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer examples are all too common. This article will look at the following pattern: the doctor (1) orders a PSA blood test, (2) discovers that the man has a high PSA level, but (3) does not inform the patient, does not refer the patient to a specialist, and does not order a biopsy to determine if the elevated PSA is due to prostate cancer. The case below is an example of this situation.
A doctor, an internist, discovered that his male patient had a PSA of 8. (a level above a 4.0 is normally thought to be high). The physician did not tell the patient. The physician did not refer the patient to a urologist. The physician did not order a biopsy. Two years later the physician repeated the PSA test. This time the PSA level had risen to 13.6. Again, the doctor did not inform the patient. Again, the doctor did not refer the patient to a urologist. And again, the doctor did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. It was not until three years after first finding out about the patients elevated PSA level that the physician at last advised him that he most likely had cancer. More testing showed that at this point he had advanced prostate cancer. A prostatectomy was no longer an option. Rather the patient underwent radiation therapy and hormone therapy in an attempt to impede the further progression of the cancer. The law firm that handled this matter reported that they took the lawsuit to mediation where they achieved a settlement of $600,000.
When they do nothing after the screening tests results come back positive and the patient subsequently finds out that he had prostate cancer and that the wait lead to it spreading outside the prostate thus decreasing treatment options and lessening his chances of surviving the cancer, the man may be able to successfully pursue a case against the physician.
As the claim reveals a physician who commits this sort of error might be liable for medical malpractice.
by: Joseph Hernandez
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