A Discussion About 2 Malpractice Cases Claiming Physicians Unnecessarily Heldup Detection Of Prostate Cancer In African-American Males
By: J. Hernandez
Submitted: 2010-09-22 15:20:33 | Word Count: 667
Below we analyze 2 matters that give us some an understanding of the value of screening males for prostate cancer. Although there has been some controversy recently on the value of testing men for prostate cancer (specifically regarding the PSA screening test) a number of points remain undisputable. To begin with, prostate cancer leads to an escalating PSA level. Second, African-American males have a larger likelihood of getting prostate cancer at a point before it reaches an advanced stage. Also, if prostate cancer is diagnosed early, the patient has a decent chance of conquering the cancer. In addition, if it is not diagnosed until after it has reached an advanced stage, there is currently no known cure. Fifth, most medical doctors recognize that at the very least a doctor ought to have a discussion with a male patient of a particular age in regard to testing for prostate cancer and that conversation and any testing ought to happen at an earlier age for men of African-American descent.
In the first medical malpractice claim, a man of African-American descent repeatedly saw his family doctor. Over the space of time, the doctor saw him for a number of medical problems. Among them were prostate related problems. Yet, the doctor never adequately carry out screening in the years the individual was without symptoms or diagnostic testing to rule out the chance of prostate cancer when the man had prostate related concerns. After the patient turned fifty years old, he read an article explaining the benefits of cancer screening and requested the screening. The tests revealed that the man had advanced prostate cancer. The law firm that handled this case reported it was settled for the amount of three quarter of a million dollars.
[ advertisement ]
Look at the other published case of a forty one year-old African-American man who had taken part in an ad campaign meant to raise awareness about the risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged males of African-American descent requested that his doctor screen him for the cancer. The doctor conducted a digital examination and identified no abnormalities. The physician ordered blood tests for the patient yet failed to get a PSA test The patient figured a PSA test was ordered and just assumed that there were no abnormal results as he did not hear anything further about it. The patient was seen again by the same physician 2 years later. This time the physician did not conduct a physical examination of the prostate and again did not order a PSA test.
Move forward to later that same year. The patient goes back to the same medical practice but is seen by a different physician. This doctor both completed a digital examination and ordered a PSA test. The outcome - the mant, now almost 45, had advanced cancer which had spread to the bone. The law firm that handled this lawsuit reported achieving a settlement in the case as it was pending an appeal of a $2.75 Million jury verdict.
What these cases illustrate is that, irrespective of any doubt concerning the benefits of screening male patients for prostate cancer, not doing so may let enough time pass that there will be a spread of the disease and ultimately, the patient's death - a death that might have be prevented. In case you or a member of your family was not diagnosed until the cancer of the prostate had spread because the doctor never informed the patient about screening methods or otherwise caused a delay in the diagnosis or treatment of the cancer, you ought to contact an attorney immediately.
Author Resource:-
Mr. Hernandez is an attorney accepting cancer cases. To find out more prostate cancer metastasis and other cancer matters including
coloncancer visit the websites
