Advanced Stage Cancer Of The Prostate And Medical Malpractice

Doctors generally use a blood test, referred to as the PSA test, to screen men with no symptoms for prostate cancer.  Most doctors agree that high PSA levels require a need to let the patient know he may have cancer and to either refer the patient to a specialist or order diagnostic testing to determine whether the patient does have cancer.  Yet, delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases happen all too often. 

Consider the following reported cases.  In the first reported case, a physician waited two years after consecutive abnormal PSA test results prior to informing his patient that the patient may have cancer.  When the patient was finally diagnosed the result was that he had advanced prostate cancer.  The law firm that handled this case reported they were able to settle the matter for $600,000 on the man’s behalf.  In the second reported case, a physician waited 16 months, with 3 consecutive abnormally high PSA readings, prior to letting the patient know, a sixty-four year old man.  Prior to that the doctor had actually told the man that the results were normal for a male his age.  The result: the cancer had already spread to the man’s seminal vesicles. The law firm that handled this case was able to report a settlement of $1.5 million on the patient’s behalf. 

As these two lawsuits illustrate, if a doctor fails to follow up on an abnormal cancer screening test result and the patient’s cancer progresses to an advanced stage during the delay caused by the doctor, a cancer lawyer can help you figure out if that physician is liable for malpractice.  In the worst case situation, a wrongful death attorney can help the patient’s family determine whether they may have a wrongful death claim.  The above should not be considered medical or legal advice.  You should always consult with a doctor before taking medical advice or making a medical decision.  And always consult with an attorney concerning any potential legal matter.