Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis & Mammography Errors

With advanced diagnostic techniques and treatments, cancer cannot just be controlled, but at times be cured as well.

The key to a high survival rate of cancer is an early diagnosis. The sooner the condition is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment and the better are the chances for survival.

Early Detection of Breast Cancer

One of the most common types of cancer affecting women is breast cancer. There are no clear symtoms of breast cancer in the early stages. Some women with early stage breast cancer may notice a small lump in the breast or changes in breast shape or appearance. Imaging tests such as mammography can play a key role in diagnosing breast cancer at an early stage. Today, medical experts recommend that all women above the age of 40 or those with a genetic predisposition to cancer should get a mammogram done at regular intervals.

The Use of Mammography

The subject of mammography as become controversial in recent years. Those in the medical industry have spent a great deal of time, energy, and effort to determine how frequently women should undergo this diagnostic procedure. The idea is to strike a balance, in which women with breast cancer are diagnosed in a timely manner so that the condition can be treated adequately, but the procedure is not carried out so frequently that the chances of misdiagnosis or other diagnostic errors increase significantly.

Mammography Misdiagnosis

As the focus on the issue of momograms increases and more resources are being devoted to research, women are still being subjected to mammography misdiagnosis at an alarming rate. According to a study published in the Journal Radiology, many medical malpractice lawsuits stemming out of breast cancer misdiagnosis involve radiologists, who perform and read the mammography results.

In the study, researchers determined that radiologists commit two common errors. First, they fail to detect any dangerous lesions when reading the mammograms. Second, they fail to recommend or order further testing for the patient. As a result of a radiologist’s negligence, a large number of women suffer from undetected cancer until the cancer has advanced to a more serious and difficult-to-treat stage.

St. Louis Medical Malpractice Attorneys

St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys believe that the two most important issues pertaining to this subject that need to be addressed are how often women should get a mammogram done and how effective the radiologists are in reading and interpreting the test results. If you believe your radiologist was negligent in reading your mammogram and it has led to breast cancer misdiagnosis, consult with Zevan and Davidson Law Firm at (314) 588-7200.