Screening Tests Disclose Possibility Of Prostate Cancer But Doctor Fails to Inform Patient

Male patients often have a lack of knowledge of prostate cancer, their own risk for the cancer, and the ways in which they can figure out if they have prostate cancer. Many men have limited, if any, understanding of the worth of screening for prostate cancer or of the recommendations for when they should begin testing, how often to test, and how to interpret the test results. They put their confidence in their doctor to do whatever is appropriate to catch any cancer in the beginning stages and cure them.

Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer examples are all too common. One typical medical error that is at the root of these cases takes place when the male patient's primary care physician (1) actually screens the man for prostate cancer by checking the level of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in his system, (2) notices abnormally elevated levels of PSA and but (3) fails to tell the patient, does not refer the patient to a specialist, and does not get a biopsy to determine whether the elevated PSA is because of prostate cancer. Examine the following claim, for example:

A doctor, an internist, found that his male patient had a PSA of 8. (anything above a 4.0 is normally considered high). The doctor said nothing to the patient. The physician did not refer the patient to a urologist. The physician did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. This time it had risen to 13.6. Again, the physician said nothing to the patient. Again, the physician did not refer the patient to a urologist. And again, the doctor did not order a biopsy. Two years later the doctor repeated the PSA test. It was not until three years after first finding out about the patient's heightened PSA level that the doctor at last told him that he most likely had cancer. By the time he was diagnosed he had advanced prostate cancer and surgery was not one of the treatment options. Instead the patient underwent radiation therapy and hormone therapy in an attempt to delay the further progression of the cancer. The law firm took this matter on announced that the claim proceeded to mediation and settled in the amount of $600,000.

If they do nothing after the screening tests results come back positive and the person subsequently learns that he had prostate cancer and that the delay resulted in it growing beyond the prostate gland therefore decreasing treatment alternatives and reducing his likelihood of surviving the cancer, the person might have a lawsuit for medical malpractice against the doctor.

At a minimum a doctor who notes abnormal prostate cancer screening results ought to advise the patient of the chance that he might have prostate cancer and refer the patient to a specialist. The physician can also advise diagnostic testing, for instance a biopsy in order to find out whether the abnormal screening test results are due to prostate cancer.

As the case shows a physician who commits this type of error might be liable for medical malpractice.

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Joseph Hernandez is an attorney accepting cancer malpractice cases. To learn about prostatecancer and other cancer matters including breast cancer metastasis visit the websites

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