The failure to diagnose cancer is one of the most serious and heartbreaking medical mistakes a Eugene resident can experience in his or her lifetime. Not only does a misdiagnosis result in a delay of treatment, the mistake often proves to be deadly for innocent patients. Oregon residents may not be aware that one of the most commonly misdiagnosed forms of the disease is ovarian cancer.
It has been reported that around 22,000 cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. In a surprising new study, it was found that nearly two-thirds of patients are not receiving the recommended treatment for ovarian cancer. The study shows that this is a serious and deadly problem. In those that did not receive the recommended treatment, the risk of death from the disease within five years increased 30% when compared to patients that received the proper treatment.
The study revealed that the biggest factor in the lack of proper treatment for ovarian cancer patients was the inexperience of doctors and hospitals in treating the disease. Hospitals that treated less than 20 cases of the disease every year were shown to be the biggest problem area. These hospitals were less likely to follow the national treatment recommendations.
The victims of undiagnosed or mistreated cancer, including ovarian cancer, should know that they may have legal rights against the parties responsible for their negligent medical care. There is a certain standard of care that all medical professionals are held to, and a breach of that may result in the ability to file a medical malpractice claim. A malpractice claim cannot undo the damage caused by a misdiagnosis, but it can help the victim recover damages.
Source: ABC WHAM, “Ovarian cancer often misdiagnosed; many go without treatment,” Mar. 12, 2013