New York City Breast Cancer Malpractice Lawyer
Sadly, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, along with one percent of men. Breast cancer is very treatable, but early diagnosis is critical to a patient’s survival. When a doctor fails to diagnose the disease, or misdiagnosed breast cancer as another condition, the patient does not receive the treatment they need right away and disastrous consequences ensue. If you or someone you love suffered harm due to a medical error, our New York City breast cancer malpractice lawyer can help.
How Does Breast Cancer Malpractice Occur?
Doctors are only human and they too, can make mistakes. However, under the law they are held to a much higher standard of care due to not only their experience, but the patient’s reliance on it. When doctors do not accurately diagnose breast cancer, the results can be tragic. According to the American Cancer Society, the survival rate for breast cancer drops to 28 percent when it is caught after a later stage. When the disease is caught early, the five-year survival rate is as high as 99 percent.
There are many common mistakes that lead to a late or missed diagnosis. These include:
- Failure to run proper testes or correctly assess test results,
- Failure to identify and investigate symptoms,
- Misinterpreting biopsies, mammograms, x-rays, and other lab tests,
- Failure to follow up with patients properly regarding test results and further treatment,
- Failure to review a patient’s medical and family history to identify risk factors, particularly when a patient complains of common breast cancer symptoms, and
- Disregarding a patient’s requests and concerns.
How is Breast Cancer Misdiagnosed?
A negligent doctor may mistake breast cancer for a number of other conditions but there are two that are most common. The first is fibrocystic breast disease, which causes the breast tissue to become lumpy. While uncomfortable, these lumps are typically benign. Doctors may confuse a cancerous tumor in the breast for one of these types of lumps.
Mastitis is a condition in which the breast tissue becomes inflamed. It can happen due to a blocked milk duct or other type of infection in the breast. Mastitis does not produce lumps, which is why it is often confused for inflammatory breast cancer. The symptoms of mastitis can also resemble cancer and include itchiness, firmness, and tenderness.
In addition to a missed or late diagnosis, a patient may also suffer from an over-diagnosis. This occurs when a doctor mistakenly diagnoses a patient with breast cancer. In these situations, patients suffer from unnecessary and invasive treatments such as aggressive chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation.
Speak with Our Breast Cancer Malpractice Lawyer in New York City Today
At Michael Gunzburg, P.C., our New York City breast cancer malpractice lawyer is dedicated to representing victims of medical negligence, and will put that expertise to work for you so you obtain the full and fair damages you deserve. Call us today at 212-725-8500 or chat with us online to schedule a consultation and to get more information.
