Cancer Misdiagnosis

Failure to diagnose, or misdiagnosis, is a common form of medical malpractice where a doctor has failed to take the proper steps to determine the nature of a medical problem. An undiagnosed patient frequently loses the opportunity for effective treatment. An unnecessary and premature death, or a serious, permanent impairment is the common consequence of a failure to diagnose.

A doctor is required to use his or her best judgment to determine the cause.of a patients complaints or abnormal findings. The patient is entitled to an expanded physical examination and, where necessary, laboratory testing or a referral to a specialist. Approximately 40 percent of medical malpractice claims are now based on a failure-to-diagnose or failure-to diagnose in a timely fashion, a medical problem.

The most common diseases for misdiagnosis (including delayed diagnosis and diagnostic errors) malpractice are:

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Colorectal cancer (including colon cancer and rectal cancer)
• Heart attack
• Appendicitis

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