Medical Accident Information

In Washington & Oregon

Prostate Cancer Information

Next to skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 new cases were diagnosed in the U.S.A. and more than 30,000 men died from the disease last year. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the country.

WARNING SIGNS

Though there are no definite early warning signs of prostate cancer, there are several possible signs. The primary symptom is growth of the prostate gland. Because it grows very slowly, and because of its internal location, many men do not exhibit obvious symptoms until the disease is fairly advanced. If the prostate grows large enough, the following symptoms may occur:

• Frequent urination (particularly at night);
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine;
• Pain or burning during urination;
• Blood in the urine or semen;
• Difficulty urinating;
• Pain during ejaculation;
• Persistent pain in the back, hips or pelvis.

Consult a doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

ROLE OF YOUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL

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

• Digital rectal exam (DRE): This is a manual examination of the rectum. The doctor feels the prostate through the rectal wall, checking for lumps or abnormal areas;
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test: This test measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance produced by the prostate. It may be at an increased level in the blood of men with prostate cancer.

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:

• Transrectal ultrasound: This procedure uses an endoscope (a thin, lighted tube) to create a sonogram or ultrasound picture of the prostate;
• Biopsy: The biopsy procedures used to diagnose prostate cancer include removal of tissue by inserting a thin needle into the prostate.

DELAYED DIAGNOSIS AND FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PROSTATE CANCER

Your doctor owes you every advantage the latest diagnostic tools and timely screening procedures can provide. Failure to diagnose prostate cancer in time to take appropriate corrective action constitutes medical malpractice and has caused unnecessary deaths. This malpractice can occur in the following ways:

• Failure to perform a DRE or PSA blood test for men over 50 years old;
• Failure to carefully screen patients with a family history of cancer;
• Failure to identify a cancerous mass during examination;
• Failure to perform a biopsy when test results are abnormal;
• Failure to recognize a patient's symptoms;
• Failure to properly respond to blood test or biopsy results;
• Failure to follow-up with the patient.

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

If you have concerns or doubts about whether a doctor did not make a timely diagnosis of your prostate 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

According to the American Cancer Society, we do not yet know exactly what causes prostate cancer, but we do know that certain risk factors are linked to the disease. Some risk factors, such as smoking, can be controlled. Others, like a person's age or family history, can't be changed.

While all men are at risk for prostate cancer, the factors listed below can increase the chances of a man having the disease:

• Age: The probability of getting prostate cancer rises the older a man becomes.
• Race: For reasons yet unknown, prostate cancer is more prevalent among African-American men. Also, African-American men are twice as likely to die from the disease.
• Nationality: Prostate cancer is most common in North America and northwestern Europe. It is less common in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.
• Diet: Men who have a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products in their diet seem to have a greater risk of getting prostate cancer. In general, these men also tend to eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Doctors are uncertain which of these factors causes the risk to go up.
• Exercise: Getting plenty of exercise and maintaining an appropriate weight may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer risk.
• Family history: Men with a father or brother who have had prostate cancer are at an increased risk, particularly if their relatives were young when they got the disease. Some people get cancer because of changes to their DNA. About 5% to 10% of prostate cancers are linked to such changes.

Remember, prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. You can take charge of your health by reducing your risk factors, knowing the indicators that may point toward a problem, getting prompt and thorough testing, and making certain your doctor gives you appropriate treatment.

Early detection and treatment of prostate 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 claim. Fuller & Fuller is a family of medical malpractice lawyers serving residents of Washington and Oregon States.

PROSTATE 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

National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/types/prostate

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

Henry Ford Hospital
http://www.henryfordhealth.org/body.cfm?id=41159

Healthlink USA Prostate Cancer Links
http://www.healthlinkusa.com/results.asp?keyword=
Prostate%20Cancer&pagestart=1&pagesize=10&section=258

Yahoo Directory Prostate Cancer
http://dir.yahoo.com/Health/Diseases_and_Conditions/Prostate_Cancer/

 

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