Failure to Diagnose Breast Cancer Claims Attorneys

Serving New Jersey and the Philadelphia metropolitan area

Breast Cancer Questions

1. How is breast cancer misdiagnosed?

Most often, doctors fail to order the necessary tests, but other errors can result in delayed diagnosis. Common mistakes that can lead to breast cancer misdiagnosis include:

• Failure to recognize early warning signs and symptoms
• Failure to order mammogram, even with the presence of lumps or other symptoms
• Failure to recommend tests due to financial concerns
• Failure to order tests for younger women
• Improper reading of mammograms
• Poor mammogram images
• Improper administration of tests
• Improper blood and tissue sampling
• Failure to follow up with patient
2. Why do doctors fail to test for breast cancer?

Because breast cancer is more common in older women, and most breast lumps are not cancer, many doctors do not believe that younger women are likely to have breast cancer even when they have symptoms.

3. What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The most common early symptom of breast cancer is a breast lump. Other symptoms include:

• Discharge from the nipple
• Nipple retraction or indentation
• Changes in breast size or shape
• Breast skin indentions
• Pitted or red breast skin (often resembling an orange peel)
4. How is breast cancer treated?

Breast cancer is almost always treated with surgery to remove the cancerous cells. The longer it goes undiagnosed the more it can grow thus requiring the removal of more tissue. The extensiveness of the required surgery can range from a lumpectomy, which removes just the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue, to removal of the entire breast. Radiation and chemotherapy are sometimes required as well.

5. What happens when breast cancer treatment is delayed?

Delayed treatment means a significantly reduced chance of survival. Delayed breast cancer treatment can result in:

• More aggressive treatments
• Much more invasive surgery
• More expensive treatment
• Disfigurement
• Extensive reconstructive surgery
• Pain
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent disability
• Depression
• Death
6. What can I do if I am the victim of failure to diagnose breast cancer?

Talk to a dedicated medical malpractice attorney who has experience specifically with breast cancer misdiagnosis. Cancer misdiagnosis cases are complicated and require special medical knowledge.

7. I have lost a loved one to misdiagnosed breast cancer. Do I still have a case?

Yes. If you have lost a loved one to medical malpractice you may still be entitled to compensation under wrongful death.

New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer Michael L. Weiss, Esq. has tried several failure to diagnose breast cancer lawsuits to a jury and has successfully recovered millions of dollars on behalf of medical malpractice victims and their families. If you or a loved one has been harmed by a physician's failure to diagnose breast cancer, please contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C., today.

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