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  • Colon Cancer Misdiagnosis

Colon Cancer Misdiagnosis or Late Diagnosis 

• Help When You Need It Most

Experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated malpractice attorneys

Colorectal cancer is prevalent in both men and women. It is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the third most common cancer in men and women. The American Cancer Society estimate that 136,830 people will be diagnosed in 2014 and 50,310 people will die from colon cancer in the United States. Studies have determined that  1 in 20 Americans  will be diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime and as of January 2012, there were about 1.2 million colon cancer survivors in the United States.

Early diagnosis and treatment is critical when it comes to cancer survival rates. Misdiagnosis or late diagnosis can lead a patient down the wrong road, increasing treatment costs and chances of death substantially. Proper diagnosis helps to determine the proper treatment. The six standard types of treatment are surgery, radiofrequency ablation, cryosurgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy. If the cancer is not diagnosed properly or timely, then the cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood.

Failure to perform a timely colonoscopy

The most common misdiagnosis or late diagnosis claim is failure to perform a timely colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is the primary method of screening or testing for colorectal cancer. The procedure allows the doctor to look inside a patient's large intestine for ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. During the colonoscopy, the doctor can collect (biopsy) tissue samples and abnormal growths.  Biopsy results provide valuable information for diagnosing and treating colorectal cancer. Failing to perform a timely colonoscopy can have dire consequences and can lead to various stages of colorectal cancer. Importantly, pre-cancerous polyps can be detected during a colonoscopy and removed on the spot before they become life-threatening. That opportunity is lost when the medical team fails to do a colonoscopy when indicated.

Other common misdiagnosis claims include:

  • Wrongly identifying a tumor as benign.
  • Wrongly identifying suspicious areas found in the colon during a colonoscopy.
  • Not recognizing common signs and symptoms of colon cancer.
  • Misreading or incorrectly analyzing test results.
  • Neglecting to order a biopsy for further tests.
  • Incorrectly reading a biopsy.
  • Failing to ask proper questions or to order adequate tests, such as MRIs, CT scans, ultrasound, PET scans, angiography and x-rays.

Trust our attorneys

Our attorneys have 200 years of combined legal experience in medical malpractice and catastrophic injury cases. Our experienced team understands the medicine and science underlying the many causes, standards of diagnoses and proper treatments of colon cancer. Our legal team can be relied upon to aggressively prosecute your case following cancer misdiagnosis or late diagnosis.

Our firm works with nationally recognized specialists and experts to ensure that our clients’ rights are protected and that their current and future financial and medical needs are met. We negotiate aggressively with responsible parties and their insurance companies. We do not hesitate to take a case to trial, because we know we are prepared to fight and win.

Let our team help you

Contact us to see the difference our exceptional medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury attorneys can make in your case and in your life.  There is no risk in calling us.  Our firm does not charge a consultation fee to meet with clients and assess their particular case.  We work on a contingent (percentage) fee arrangement, so no legal fees are paid if money is not recovered on your behalf. We practice in District of Columbia and Maryland courts.

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