According to the World Cancer Research Fund, there were approximately 18.1 million cases of cancer throughout the world in 2020. To make matters worse, many cancer diagnosis delays happen around the world each year.
Why does that happen? Could doctors be to blame? Let us explore the subject further.
What should you do in the event of a cancer diagnosis delay?
Delays in cancer diagnosis can have severe consequences. For example, they can mean people do not get treatment as early as they should and delays can even result in fatalities.
Seeing as many forms of cancer are life-threatening, there should be no excuse for delaying diagnosis results, but sadly it still happens a lot.
Whether an organization or individual is responsible, if you or a member of your family has suffered as a result of a late cancer diagnosis, you could at least gain financial compensation by filing a lawsuit.
You should contact delayed cancer diagnosis lawyers to get expert legal advice and assist you in obtaining the compensation you are entitled to.
What exactly is a delayed diagnosis?
There are multiple legal terms for what makes a cancer diagnosis delay an act of negligence.
Delayed diagnoses can be those that lead to a loss of treatment options, a need for surgery when the need could have been prevented or a reduction in life expectancy.
Cancer diagnosis delay claims can also include a health care provider or individual medical professional misinterpreting your symptoms or diagnosis, incorrectly reporting test results, and failing to advise you correctly according to your results.
All such things cause a delay in a person getting the proper diagnosis.
Can doctors be responsible for cancer diagnosis delays?
The short answer to “Can doctors be responsible for cancer diagnosis delays?” is yes.
Determining the precise reasons for a doctor making a delay is more complex and ultimately comes down to the specific case, but many doctors are found to be legally responsible for cancer diagnosis delays.
Often, the hospital or health care provider is to blame as well. Other times, it is only the hospital or provider that is responsible.
To be clear, a doctor’s delay in making a cancer diagnosis refers to the time he or she takes from the primary care referral stage to the moment of diagnosis.
A significant diagnostic delay could occur if several invasive procedures are required to confirm the cancer diagnosis. Delays could also happen because doctors miss suspicious cancer symptoms and fail to investigate properly.
Delays in cancer diagnosis can happen at any point of the diagnostic pathway, which is why the delay could be the fault of the doctor, another individual, or the hospital or health care provider.
How long does it take to get cancer diagnosis results?
It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to find out whether someone has cancer.
Of course, if someone does have cancer, he or she could be in one of various different stages. So, it is imperative that cancer diagnosis is not delayed.
If you have a cancer test, make sure you ask how long it will take to get the results back. And if you end up waiting for more than two months, you need to contact your doctor or health care provider.
Summing Up
Delays in cancer diagnosis occur too often, and delays can mean people do not get the treatment they require in time. So, it is of the utmost importance that your diagnosis is not delayed.
Yes, doctors can sometimes be to blame for diagnosis delays. But the responsibility can also lie with the hospital or health care provider.
