Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney

Cervical cancer is a common type of cancer seen in women. It is most often caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and affects the cervix, which is the organ that connects the uterus to the vagina. Early cervical cancer is asymptomatic, meaning it does not show symptoms, although regular pap smears can typically detect pre-cancerous cells. 

Failure to diagnose, accurately diagnose, or correctly diagnose cervical cancer can result in health problems such as pain, bleeding, and infertility. If you feel your doctor failed to accurately diagnose cervical cancer, you may be entitled to benefits and compensation. Shelsby & Leoni can help.

Can Cancer Be Misdiagnosed?

The unfortunate reality is that, yes, cancer can be misdiagnosed. One would think that because of the seriousness of cancer, it would not get misdiagnosed often. However, detecting cancer is far more difficult than it seems because symptoms related to cancer are often similar to other non-serious illnesses or conditions. 

Thus, it is natural for doctors to downplay symptoms at an early stage and misdiagnose cancer as something else. Even though misdiagnosis is not intentional, doctors still have a duty of care to uphold. It is on them to make certain that your medical issues are not due to cancer. Failure to take the proper steps and precautions to prevent misdiagnosis is negligence. 

How Do Doctors Check for Cervical Cancer?

During a routine pap smear or HPV testing, if abnormal or unusual results are seen, your doctor will order further testing to see if you potentially have cervical cancer. It is important to remember that HPV tests and pap smears are not enough to determine if you have cervical cancer. If your test yields abnormal results, your doctor should schedule you for additional tests that can accurately determine if cancer is present. 

Typically, a colposcopy will be ordered. During a colposcopy, your doctor will examine your vagina utilizing a colposcope, and there should be no pain associated with this test. The colposcope remains outside during the entire examination and has a magnifying lens that allows your doctor to view your cervix for any abnormalities. 

If there are abnormalities, your doctor will then order a biopsy to remove, completely if possible, any abnormalities and analyze them. There may be some discomfort after the procedure. Furthermore, your doctor can also order imaging tests to ensure the cancer has not spread to other areas of your body. 

Can Cervical Cancer Be Missed on an Ultrasound?

Cervical cancer is not usually detected through an ultrasound because ultrasounds use sound waves to examine what is going on inside the body. Typically, ultrasounds are used by doctors to monitor fetal development, check for cysts, and conduct other types of medical procedures. So, while there have been times cervical cancer has been detected through ultrasounds, they are not typically used for this purpose. 

Can Cervical Cancer Be Missed On a Pap Smear?

Pap smears are highly accurate in detecting abnormalities that could indicate if cervical cancer could be present. However, they are not infallible. There are several reasons why cervical cancer can be missed on a Pap smear. 

Most of the time, inaccurate Pap smear results happen when: 

• Medical personnel make an error during specimen collection. 
• Labs make mistakes when examining specimens or inaccurately reporting results. 
• Doctors fail to follow up when abnormal results are reported.

Outside of genuinely rare circumstances, the vast majority of pap smears missing signs of cancer are due to human error.

Can You Get Cervical Cancer Between Smears?

It is unlikely that you will get cervical cancer between Pap smears. Regular screening for cervical cancer should detect any abnormalities, and cervical cancer is not known to progress quickly. Even if you have an aggressive abnormality that grows fast, it is still unlikely that it will progress into cancer before your next Pap smear.

Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Statistics

Studies from the American Journal of Clinical Pathology have shown that HPV testing in combination with Pap smears resulted in a 13.1% false negative rate. This is from a sample size of 13,633,071 women ages 30 and older from 2010 to 2018. The study also goes on to report that Pap smears alone detected roughly 85.1% of cancer, and HPV testing alone detected 77.5%. 

As you can see, the false negative rate, which is alarming since false negatives mean further testing will not be ordered, is relatively high enough that many people may receive a misdiagnosis. Further, simply getting one test for cervical cancer screening may exacerbate this risk. It is reasonable to assume that misdiagnoses do happen at a semi-regular rate and are not outside the realm of possibility.

Cervical Cancer Symptoms While Pregnant

Unfortunately, one can develop cervical cancer while pregnant. Doctors diagnose anywhere between 1% and 3% of cervical cancer cases during pregnancy or postpartum. Symptoms of cervical cancer during pregnancy often include: 

• Abnormal vaginal bleeding 
• Unusual or bloody discharge 
• Pelvic pain or pain during sex 
• Swollen legs 
• Blood in urine 
• Difficulty urinating or having a bowel movement 

Unfortunately, many of these symptoms often overlap with symptoms or conditions that can occur during pregnancy, so it is not wise to rely on symptoms alone. Your doctor must thoroughly examine you for cervical cancer. While cervical cancer itself does not necessarily cause complications to your pregnancy, treating it can pose a significant risk to you and your child, so screening and accurate testing are essential during this time. 

Cervical Cancer Symptoms in the Elderly

For the elderly, cervical cancer symptoms are similar to the above. However, it is important to know that for women aged 65 and older who have had several cervical cancer screenings in a row that consistently show no evidence of abnormalities or cancer, there is little to no risk of ever developing cervical cancer. In fact, the CDC reported that, unless you are at high risk for cancer, screening should not be necessary, and the likelihood of developing cervical cancer is very low. 

What Can a Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Do for Me?

Cervical cancer misdiagnosis is medical negligence. Most misdiagnoses occur due to human error, most of which is easily preventable. Correct diagnosis of cervical cancer early on is essential so that a patient has a higher success rate of recovery. 

If your cervical cancer is misdiagnosed, know that the law empowers you to recover compensation for any damages you sustained. A cervical cancer misdiagnosis attorney can help you in several ways: 

• Calculate all of the damages you sustained and factor them into your settlement, both economic (medical expenses, lost wages, etc.) and non-economic (pain and suffering, emotional damages, etc.).
• Represent your best interests and handle all negotiations on your behalf.
• File your claim and handle all of the legal work required. 
• Help you gather evidence for your claim and ensure that your claim is thoroughly supported. 

You should not expect the at-fault doctor or the hospital to support you during this time. In fact, it is far more likely that they will try to get you to settle for compensation far less than what you deserve and absolve themselves of any wrongdoing. While you can file a claim on your own, getting strong legal representation significantly boosts your chances of obtaining a fair settlement and allows you to go against the hospital’s legal team. 

Let a Cervical Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorney Help You

Enduring cancer and cancer treatment can be painful, laborious, and expensive. Aside from the emotional and physical discomfort associated with battling cancer, you may also face financial strain due to medical bills piling up. You may also miss extended amounts of time at work, which can add to financial instability.

Our cervical cancer malpractice lawyers at Shelsby & Leoni P.A. want you to understand that you do not have to face this alone. Contact us today for help.