In Rhode Island Cancer Misdiagnoses can occur in all kinds of cancer, from skin lesions to breast lumps, from lung masses to colon polyps, from blood disorders to brain tumors and more. Some of the more likely reasons for misdiagnosis include careless choices made by the health care provider—for instance, ignoring warning signs, failure to obtain necessary testing, failure to biopsy the right tissue, failure to provide timely follow-up on questionable symptoms—or commissions—for instance, misreading pathology specimens, misreading diagnostic imaging. Regardless of the kind of cancer and regardless of the reason for misdiagnosis, the result is the same—a delay in making the correct diagnosis. Most patients dread the possibility of learning that they have cancer. But people understand that, in most instances, earlier diagnosis improves the likelihood of successful treatment. The delays caused by misdiagnosis can alter the outcome significantly.
In addition to misdiagnosis, inadequate treatment of a diagnosed cancer can lead to a poor outcome. The failure to provide a wide margin of cancer-free tissue around a lesion that is being surgically removed allows individual cancer cells to be left behind; these cells can cause a recurrence or can metastasize to other parts of the body. The failure to provide follow-up chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery, where indicated, also can facilitate a recurrence. The failure to provide close monitoring to detect the earliest signs of a recurrence after a course of treatment has concluded can result in more extensive recurrence/metastasis.
At Mandell, Boisclair & Mandell, Ltd, our lawyers and nurses have wide-ranging experience in investigating and litigating Rhode Island cancer cases. We have successfully managed cases involving cancer in many areas, including cancer of the breast, cervix, uterus, ovaries, prostate, colon, stomach, lung, thyroid, parotid gland and skin (malignant melanoma). We are knowledgeable in issues relating to misdiagnosis as well as issues relating to medical negligent treatment and we consult regularly with Rhode Island medical experts, who help us stay current in the standards of care for cancer diagnosis and treatment If you are a Rhode Island resident and believe you have suffered negligent care in the diagnosis or treatment of cancer, we would be happy to discuss your particular situation.
