October is observed as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States. Also, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths for women of all races. The American Cancer Society says that about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed each year and approximately 39,000 women die from breast cancer per year.
Breast cancer is also most commonly misdiagnosed. The Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that cancer misdiagnosis rates are as high as 44 percent. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that physicians who lack proper specialization failed to identify breast cancer 71 percent of the time. Physicians who specialize in mammography maintained an error rate of 3 percent.
How to Avoid Misdiagnosis
As a patient, avoiding misdiagnosis is not entirely in your hands. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the chances of a breast cancer misdiagnosis:
• Make an appointment with a specialist. Take all your medical records, blood work and mammography results to your appointment.
• Write down all symptoms. Make notes of everything you would like to discuss with the doctor. Ask your doctor for a copy of all your records. You may even request a copy of his or her notes.
• Know your medical history. If you don’t know your family history, ask your relatives.
• Be specific about your symptoms. Describe your symptoms as well as you can for the doctor, but do not draw any conclusions.
• Ask your doctor what you should expect. Are there any red flags or signs you should watch out for?
• Ask questions. Please remember there are no “trivial questions” when it comes to your health. Also, make sure you understand the diagnosis and the recommendations properly. Ask how and why your doctor arrived at his or her diagnosis.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion.
Victims of Medical Negligence
If you or a loved one has been injured in New York as a result of medical negligence, the experienced New York medical malpractice attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can provide you with more information about pursuing your legal rights. Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
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