National Cancer Prevention Month
February 2, 2021
February marks National Cancer Prevention Month. Cancer is a terrible disease, and, whilst there has been a lot of developments in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, there is still more that can be done. Unfortunately, while there are some positives around cancer treatment, there is also still cancer negligence that happens.
Cancer Negligence
There are a few different forms of cancer negligence that we deal with here at The Medical Negligence Experts. Two of the biggest ones are delays in diagnosis and delays in treatment.
Delays in Diagnosis
A delay in diagnosis can be catastrophic for cancer. It can affect the stage the cancer is at, whether it has grown or spread, and it can also affect the treatment and prognosis for some people. Early diagnosis of any cancer is key to treating it. If the delay is due to human error, then that is even worse. It could be that the doctor misdiagnosed you with something else or ignored red flags and symptoms. This could lead to problems with the cancer diagnosis, and may unfortunately mean that the cancer has spread or grown. If this has happened to you, then you may be able to claim.
Delays in Treatment
A treatment delay in cancer can sometimes be as bad or worse than a delay in diagnosis. If treatment is delayed, it can allow cancer to grow or spread, which can also lead to a worse prognosis. There are some reasons that cancer treatment may be delayed that are not negligent, but if the cancer worsens due to the delay, and it was an avoidable delay, then you may be able to claim.
Other examples of cancer negligence may include:
- Not requesting scans or other tests when symptoms indicate cancer could be present
- Misinterpreting scans, smears, or different test results
- Losing test results and delaying obtaining new samples
- Incorrect or inappropriate treatment, including issues with chemotherapy and other medication
- prescribing or dispensing medication incorrectly
- not informing a patient about types of treatment available
World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is one of the main ways that is used to raise awareness across the world. It is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). They state that, “by raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, they are working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all.”
The important work that charities and organisations such as this do is important as they can also help the rates of cancer negligence decrease.
How We Can Help with Cancer Negligence
Here at The Medical Negligence Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of medical negligence claims. This includes cancer negligence claims. Contact us today by filling in our contact form or by calling us on 01614138761 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.