Misdiagnosis of Cervical Cancer

Louisville Lawyers Helping Victims of Cervical Cancer

Discovering you have cervical cancer can come as a great shock. Cancer is a scary diagnosis; it is life-changing and possibly fatal. Although you may have experienced various symptoms including missed periods, painful urination or pelvic discomfort, it may have been easy to dismiss them as something else.

For many of the same reasons, your doctor may have missed a diagnosis of cervical cancer. Misdiagnoses of cervical cancer are far too common, often leading to grave consequences; cervical cancer is a leading cause of death for women.

The medical malpractice attorneys at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd, Kinney & Wilt, PSC, represent women and families dealing with the difficulties associated with misdiagnoses of cervical cancer.　For more than 20 years, we have helped clients in the Louisville, Kentucky, area pursue compensation for damages resulting from medical negligence.

Contact our office to speak with a lawyer that understands the impact misdiagnoses of cervical cancer can have on your life. We will evaluate your case free of charge.

Diagnosing Cervical Cancer

Whether they are experiencing signs of cervical cancer or not, sexually active women should have regular Pap smears to look for irregular or abnormal cells. If such cells are present medical providers should follow up with diagnostic tests such as:

• Colposcopy — using an instrument called a colposcope to look at the cervix
• Biopsy - taking a sample of the abnormal tissue for further testing
• Endocervical scraping - scraping and removing samples of tissue lining the endocervical canal
• Cone biopsy - a cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the cervix

A physician who does not oversee diagnostic testing or misinterprets results can cause successful treatment to be delayed. This delay could be fatal.

How Does Misdiagnoses of Cervical Cancer Occur?

There are many types of misdiagnosis that can affect the chances of recovery of a variety of cancers.　Delayed diagnosis, missed diagnosis and wrong diagnosis can each have their own consequences.　Misdiagnoses of cervical cancer often results from:

• Doctors failing to recognize symptoms of cervical cancer and not performing further testing
• Doctors not taking the time to learn about the patient's risk factors and lifestyle choices that could lead to cervical cancer
• Laboratory results being misinterpreted

If you were misdiagnosed with cervical cancer, you may be able to take legal action against the negligent party.　Contact us to learn more about your rights.