Warning To Doctors - Follow The Cancer Screening Prostocols Or Risk A Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Normally, advanced prostate cancer describes that the cancer has spread outside the prostate gland and has taken hold in other regions of the body, mostly the bones in the lower back, pelvic area or upper legs. This is the most advanced stage of the cancer. By the time it reaches this level, there is no known cure. This is different from the early stages, prior to the cancer advancing beyond the gland, when there is a very high likelihood of a cure. The key issue changes at this advanced stage. At this time the main question is how long treatments, such as hormonal therapy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may help for a time stop or at least impede the further progression on the cancer.

How long the treatment will have an effect depends on several factors, including the Gleason score the PSA level (an antigen that rises as the cancer grows and advances), the area and severity of the spread, and other factors such as the patient’s age and general non-cancer related health. Normally, however, treatment will stop working eventually. When this happens the man usually is given palliative treatment, meant not to treat the disease, but rather to treat the symptoms, primarily through pain management. Two of the most frequent symptoms are weight loss and extreme pain. The pain is due largely from the spread of the cancer in the bone.

When found and treated early, the cancer has higher than a 90 % cure rate. Since the cancer tends to not have significant symptoms in the early stages, screening tests for males who show no symptoms are used to discover it early. The 2 main tests used are the physical examination of the prostate gland and the PSA blood test. Should either come back abnormal most physicians agree that there should be follow up which can include a referral to a specialist, like a Urologist, and a biopsy to analyze samples from the prostate gland for signs of cancer.

Unfortunately, all too frequently physicians either do not go over screening tests with patients or overlook abnormal test results before the cancer spreads. When this happens the individual may be able to successuflly pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against that doctor. Patients with a delayed diagnosis of colon cancer or metastasized breast cancer whose doctors did not stick to the appropriate screening guidelines for those cancers might also have a medical malpractice case against the responsible physician.

None of the above is meant as medical advice. For any concerns pertaining to your health you ought to immediately contact a physician. In addition, in the event that you wish to determine whether you might have a medical malpractice case, given that the law limits the amount of time you have in which to pursue any such claim or claims, you should speak to an attorney without delay.