Medical Malpractice Lawyers

In Washington & Oregon

Colon Cancer Information

Cancer of the colon or rectum is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. It is also known as colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that over 50,000 Americans die of colon cancer annually. Colon cancer is also one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States. Around 150,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

WARNING SIGNS

Many studies have indicated that colon cancer most frequently comes from a polyp or growth which frequently exists for years and is easily identifiable through proper testing. It may bleed sporadically for a number years before an incurable cancer develops.

Colon cancer can often be successfully treated when detected early enough. Inform your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding from the rectum;
• Blood in or on the stool (bright red or dark;)
• A change in bowel movement pattern that continues over time;
• General discomfort in the abdomen (frequent gas pains, cramping pain, feeling of bloating or fullness;)
• Vomiting;
• Chronic fatigue;
• Chronic constipation;
• Unexplainable weight loss.

ROLE OF YOUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL

In addition to your self-care, your doctor has an obligation to screen you for colon cancer. The following screening guidelines are recommended by the American Cancer Society for men and women age 50 and over:

Every year: A fecal occult blood test and a digital rectal exam;
Every five years: Flexible sigmoidoscopy OR
Every 10 years: Colonoscopy OR
Every five to 10 years: Double contrast barium enema.

DIAGNOSIS

Any suspicious findings from the screening procedures must be thoroughly investigated. Cancer must be definitely diagnosed or ruled out. The additional tools the doctor has to make the diagnosis include:

• Ultrasound;
• Surgical biopsy.

DELAYED DIAGNOSIS AND FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE COLON CANCER

A failure to correctly evaluate complaints of rectal bleeding continues to result in needless colon cancer deaths each year in the United States, despite an overabundance of medical information available to physicians for many years about its importance as an indicator of colon cancer.

Reducing the likelihood of a fatality from colon cancer relies on detecting and removing precancerous polyps in addition to identifying and treating the cancer before it becomes life threatening. Colon cancer can be prevented by removing precancerous polyps, which can be quite detectable in the colon for years before invasive cancer occurs.

According to a report by the Institute of Medicine, medical errors are responsible for somewhere between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths each year in the United States. The following list consists of the more common forms of medical malpractice committed by doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer:

• Failing to perform a routine digital rectal examination;
• Failing to identify a cancerous polyp in the rectum or lower colon during a routine digital rectal examination;
• Failing to perform a screening sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy;
• Failure to order appropriate diagnostic examinations to test for colon cancer when a patient exhibits symptoms that can be caused by colon cancer;
• Misinterpreting the biopsy results;
• Failing to react to biopsy findings;
• Failing to recommend appropriate treatment options;
• Failing to follow-up with the patient.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SUSPECT THERE WAS A DELAY IN DIAGNOSING MY COLON CANCER?

If you have concerns or doubts about whether a doctor did not make a timely diagnosis of your colon cancer - or that of a loved one - you owe it to yourself and your family to find out for sure. Contact an attorney at Fuller & Fuller for a FREE consultation. Our firm has been associated with many failure to diagnose cancer cases. Fuller & Fuller serves people whose claims arose in the states of Washington and Oregon.

To determine whether you have a strong claim, these are among the factors that are analyzed:

• Whether the malpractice took place within the time allowed to bring a claim, or whether it is barred by the statute of limitations;
• Whether the delay in diagnosis was longer than is reasonable by the standards of the medical community in which the doctor practices;
• Whether the doctor failed to perform appropriate testing to allow an informed diagnosis;
• Whether the doctor failed to administer the necessary medical or surgical procedures;
• How much money in damages would be appropriate to compensate the patient, or the patient's spouse or family members.

You have nothing to lose by consulting an attorney. It is always in your best interest to learn about your legal options and make sure that your legal rights are preserved. A medical malpractice case is also about righting a wrong, holding the medical community responsible, and raising the level of care so that the same thing does not happen to another patient.

RISK FACTORS

There are risk factors you cannot change, and others that can be controlled. More frequent screening may be recommended for those with a genetic predisposition to cancer. Risk factors may include:

• Age. The great majority of people with colon cancer are age 50 or over;
• Personal or family history of colon cancer, polyps or inflammatory bowel disease;
• A sedentary lifestyle;
• Diet. A high fat or low fiber diet may increase the risk of colon cancer.

Remember, colon cancer is the number 2 cause of cancer related deaths in this country. You can take charge of your health by reducing your risk factors, knowing the indicators that may indicate a problem, getting prompt and thorough testing, and making certain your doctor gives you appropriate treatment.

Early detection and treatment of colon cancer is vital to reduce the likelihood of life-threatening complications. If you are concerned that your doctor did not detect or treat your cancer soon enough, please contact Fuller & Fuller, Attorneys, for a free evaluation of your claims. Fuller & Fuller is a family of medical malpractice lawyers serving residents of Washington and Oregon States.

COLON CANCER RESOURCES

You may find some of the following links helpful. Fuller & Fuller does not endorse the information in the links.

American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/home/index.asp

Institute of Medicine
http://www.iom.edu

Yale New Haven Hospital Colorectal Cancer Page
http://www.ynhh.org/cancer/diagnosis/colon/index.html

MD Anderson Colorectal Cancer Page
http://www.mdanderson.org/diseases/colorectal/?Referrer=Google&KW=Colon_Cancer

National Cancer Institute
http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/types/colon-and-rectal

X-Plain Colon Cancer Reference Summary
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colonoscopy/id149101.pdf

Yahoo Directory Colon Cancer
http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/Colon_Cancer/

Healthlink USA Colon Cancer Links
http://www.healthlinkusa.com/results.asp?keyword=Colon%20Cancer
&pagestart=1&pagesize=10&section=76

 

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Fuller & Fuller is a family of medical malpractice and serious injury lawyers serving residents of Washington and Oregon.