We all know that there are risks when we take medications or seek treatment from a doctor. What we expect is to be told of any risks by our physician. We should also expect that our doctors understand how certain medications affect us. Today, we want to talk about how a prostate medication could delay a cancer diagnosis.
At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we are ready to be your advocate. Let us work diligently to secure the compensation you deserve if the negligence of a doctor has caused you harm. When you need a Philadelphia failure to diagnose and treat cancer lawyer, call us today.
A recent article from HealthDay News says that men who take medications to treat enlarged prostate glands may have a years-long delay in a prostate cancer diagnosis and that when the cancer is discovered, it will likely be more advanced.
The reason for this delay is due to how these medications work. Drugs in this class, such as finasteride and dutasteride, will drive down certain key blood markers needed to detect prostate cancer. Specifically, they will lower a man’s levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
The article points out that “if physicians fail to account for this drug-induced lowering of PSA, they might conclude that it is not rising to potentially alarming levels – and thereby miss early-stage cancers.”
A study at the University of San Diego discovered that men on these drugs were diagnosed with cancer an average of 3.6 years after they should have been.
While prostate cancer is one of the easier to treat cancers, a late diagnosis can change the ballgame. When cancer is diagnosed late, it will almost always mean that a more aggressive course of treatment is needed, causing much more patient harm and lowering their quality of life.
Medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the US and diagnostic errors are among the most harmful of all. Cancer claims the lives of more than 600,000 people annually.
How many of those deaths could be prevented had a proper cancer diagnosis been made?
While there will always be risks associated with any medical treatment, we expect our healthcare professionals to perform their jobs with a high standard of care. When they fail to do so and we are harmed, we need to know where to turn.
At The Weitz Firm, LLC, our knowledgeable and experienced team will get to work on your case so we can secure the compensation you deserve. This can include:
If you need a Philadelphia failure to diagnose and treat cancer attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
