Cancer Misdiagnosis and Delay in Diagnosis of Cancer

According to Cancer Research, more than one in three people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Early diagnosis can be critical in the effective treatment of cancer. Sadly we still see many people who having reported their symptoms to their GP have either not been referred onto a specialist for further tests or where they have had these tests the results have been mis-reported.

If you think you may have a case for compensation contact us and seek specialist advice from one of our clinical negligence lawyers. You can either fill out our online enquiry form, request a call back or call us direct on 0800 915 4650.

The majority of our cancer misdiagnosis cases occur because a patient is thought to have something else and the medical practitioner hasn't referred them on quick enough. Like Janet who was told she had stress having visited her GP after suffering headaches and sickness which had become more severe over the past six months. She actually had a brain tumour. Or John who was given antibiotics for a bladder infection which was then treated as kidney stones. When he was eventually referred by his GP to a specialist it was discovered he had bladder cancer. Susan had bowel cancer but despite numerous trips to her GP and significant pain which required painkillers and antibiotics, she wasn't referred on.

We also speak to people like Pam who was told she had breast cancer and then later found out that her test results had been misread and she didn't actually have it at all. Like Pam many in similar circumstances have undergone treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and in some cases surgery before they find out.

There are over 200 types of cancer and many different tests and treatments. Some are difficult to detect and diagnose. A US study published in October 2005 reported that as many of 12% of all cancers in the US were initially misdiagnosed due to non-referral, misunderstandings or misreading of results. The most common cancers are narrowed down to a list of about 28 which includes Bone cancer (osteosarcoma), Bowel (colorectal) cancer, Brain tumours, Breast cancer, Cervical cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kidney cancer, Leukaemia (acute), Leukaemia (chronic), Liver cancer, Lung cancer, Mesothelioma, Multiple myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Oesophageal (gullet) cancer, Oral cancer, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Penile cancer, Prostate cancer, Skin cancer (melanoma), Skin cancer (non-melanoma), Soft tissue sarcoma, Stomach (gastric) cancer, Testicular cancer, Thyroid cancer, Womb (endometrial) cancer.

Our cases have involved the misdiagnosis of breast cancer, misdiagnosis of bowel cancer, misdiagnosis of lung cancer, misdiagnosis of brain tumours, misdiagnosis of bladder cancer and many others from the list above. Many result in a significant delay in diagnosis which can have tragic consequences. We realise that people contact us for many different reasons and we aim to help them to find out what went wrong and whether their or their loved one's cancer was misdiagnosed. Then if it was misdiagnosed whether it could have and should have been diagnosed earlier. Clare's case is an example of the expertise required and commitment with which we act for our clients...