Lawyers for Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer in Pittsburgh, PA

Skilled Medical Malpractice Lawyers Advocate for Victims of Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer in Pittsburgh, PA

A cancer diagnosis is extremely frightening for anyone.  However, when prostate cancer is detected early and before it has a chance to spread, the survival rate is nearly 100%.  Once the cancer begins to spread, chances of survival begin to diminish.  For many patients, failure to diagnose prostate cancer can spell the difference between a long, cancer-free life and the need for painful, extensive treatment for a cancer that has spread throughout the body.

There is never a valid reason for a doctor’s failure to detect prostate cancer.  At Berger Lagnese & Paul, LLC, our trusted medical malpractice lawyers are here to help you get justice if you were hurt because your doctor failed to detect prostate cancer.  Collectively, our lawyers bring nearly 100 years’ worth of experience to the table.  We know how the medical malpractice system works in Pennsylvania and will stand by your side through the entire process.

You should not have to suffer financially while facing the challenges of a delayed prostate cancer diagnosis.  To discuss options for pursuing your right to financial compensation with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer, call or contact us online today.  We provide every client with a free, no-obligation case review so that we can determine whether you have a claim.

Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer

Most male patients should be regularly screened for prostate cancer after age 50.  For patients with a family history of cancer, screenings should often begin even earlier.  Failure to diagnose prostate cancer can amount to medical malpractice when your doctor or another healthcare professional:

• Failed to administer a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as a routine part of your wellness checkups
• Failed to administer a digital rectal exam, which can detect abnormalities in the prostate
• Misreads the results of your PSA test
• Mixed up your test results with another patient’s results
• Failed to re-test your PSA levels if you had suffered from prostate cancer in the past
• Failed to take a full medical history to determine whether early or more frequent prostate cancer screening was called for
• Failed to order a biopsy when PSA levels are elevated

Prostate-specific antigen is a substance that is made by the prostate.  Elevated PSA levels increase the odds that a man has or will develop prostate cancer.  If your PSA level is elevated (usually, above four), your doctor should recommend that you repeat the PSA test or have a biopsy.  The biopsy itself is necessary to actually diagnose cancer.

Symptoms and Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Often, the PSA test and digital rectal exam are the only means of detecting prostate cancer early—because there are often no symptoms during the early stages of prostate cancer.  Once the disease begins to progress, you may begin to have symptoms caused by a swelling of the prostate, which can include:

• Frequent urination, often at night
• Pain or burning during urination
• A weak urine stream
• Difficulty in starting urination or stopping urination
• Leaking of urine
• Blood in the urine or semen

Once prostate cancer has advanced to a later stage, more serious symptoms can include trouble walking, chronic back or bone pain, swelling in the legs or extreme weight loss.  These are possible signs that the cancer has progressed.

Although the success rate for treating early prostate cancer is high, early detection remains key.  Once the cancer has spread to other areas, the treatment protocol becomes vastly different.  Most prostate cancer can be treated with:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Implanting radioactive seeds into the prostate itself
• Hormone therapy
• Radiation treatments

Once prostate cancer has spread to other areas, additional surgeries and forms of treatment will be necessary to treat the more aggressive cancer.

Leading Medical Malpractice Lawyers Work to Get Full Compensation for Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer

It is, of course, impossible to turn back the clock to make sure that your doctor detected your prostate cancer in a timely manner.  Our lawyers can fight to make sure you get the highest compensation award available so that you can get the treatment you need to protect your health going forward.  Your fair compensation award should include money for:

• Your medical expenses
• The cost of treating a more aggressive cancer
• Lost wages
• Loss of your ability to return to work
• Diminished quality of life
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• And more

At Berger Lagnese & Paul, LLC, our top-rated medical malpractice lawyers care about both your health and your financial security.  We know that the legal process can be daunting, especially when you are facing the challenges associated with a delayed prostate cancer diagnosis.  We are here to walk you through the legal process so you know what to expect.  To learn more, schedule a free case review today.

Schedule a Free Case Review if You Are the Victim of a Doctor’s Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is an extremely common and treatable type of cancer when caught in the early stages.  If a doctor’s negligence resulted in a failure to diagnose prostate cancer until a later stage, you may have the right to financial compensation.  At Berger Lagnese & Paul, LLC, our experienced medical malpractice lawyers will work closely with you and your family, advocating for your right to full compensation every step of the way.  To schedule your free case review, contact our office today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Failure to Diagnose Prostate Cancer