Increase in misdiagnosed colorectal cancer cases in the young ...

While Morris County doctors may think they know what is going on inside a patient's body, they could make the mistake of ignoring a red flag that might suggest that a patient is suffering from a serious disease, infection or other life-threatening condition. When red flags are ignored, a doctor could cause a patient to suffer further complications from a misdiagnosis.

Seven years ago, a 44-year-old woman was experiencing odd symptoms and continuous health problems, so she visited doctors for help. Doctors simply said that she was suffering from the flu and anxiety, but the woman was actually going through the second stage of colorectal cancer. She didn't find this out until her symptoms became so severe that she could no longer work. A specialist ordered a colonoscopy and the cancer was finally discovered.

Diagnoses of colorectal cancer have been increasing amongst those who are younger, according to researchers. But because it is still rare for patients to develop colorectal cancer before age 50, many doctors don't always think to screen and test younger patients for the disease. When patients are deprived of necessary treatment, their cancer can spread and result in death.

The patient whose cancer was misdiagnosed several times had to have most of her colon removed by the time the disease was diagnosed. She is currently free of cancer. Nevertheless, the cancer survivor wants doctors to look at younger patients' symptoms more carefully in order to make a correct diagnosis so that others do not have to go through what she did.

When doctors do fail to diagnose cancer, patients may be able to obtain compensation for medical expenses and injuries resulting from their untreated cancer. These types of cases are complex, but with the help of an attorney, victims of misdiagnoses may be able to receive some justice for their unnecessary pain and suffering.

Source: Baltimore Sun, "More younger people getting colorectal cancer," Andrea K. Walker, July 29, 2012

Source: http://www.morristownpersonalinjuryblog.com/2012/09/increase-in-misdiagnosed-colorectal-cancer-cases-in-the-young.shtml

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