(Last Updated on: August 19, 2010 )
When cancer is diagnosed early, treatment is easier and more likely to be effective. So why are cancers still discovered too late? Unfortunately, people who don’t feel well or notice worrisome symptoms often don’t go to the doctor for fear of what they might learn. In other cases, doctors misdiagnose or miss cancers, even when patients repeatedly complain of symptoms.
If you notice anything unusual going on with your body, or have symptoms that tell you something is just not right, be insistent with your doctor. Get a complete exam and have every possibility checked. If nothing is found and your symptoms persist, get a second opinion—and a third and fourth if necessary—until the source of your problem has been identified.
Tips:
For women, screening exams for breast cancer are particularly important because they can find cancers before they even cause symptoms. The American Cancer Society recommends that women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year, and women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years.
Prostate cancer, too, can be detected early through a blood test or exam. The American Cancer Society recommends that men should begin talking to their doctor about screening when they’re 50, or at age 45 or 40 if they are in certain high-risk groups (such as a family history of prostate cancer.)
If you believe you have been misdiagnosed or your doctor missed a cancer that could have been detected early, contact Hodes Milman for a free case evaluation. We’re aggressive personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers based in Los Angeles, serving all of California. We have the experience to take on the medical industry and have achieved multi-million dollar verdicts for our clients. Call us toll-free at (949) 640-8222 or submit the contact form via our website, www.hodesmilman.com.
