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Failure to Diagnose Cancer

Unnecessary Cancer Tests IdentifiedPosted on 4/19/2012
Could What Happened to a NY Breast Cancer Victim Happen in Georgia?Posted on 3/2/2012
Young Adult Cancer Death Rate Has Not Fallen as it Has for Other AgesPosted on 1/28/2012
Pediatric Failure to Diagnose Cancer Case to Move ForwardPosted on 1/25/2012
Avoiding Cancer Deaths: UGA Researchers Share Exciting Cancer NewsPosted on 1/16/2012

Can my doctor diagnose prostate cancer if my blood tests show high levels of PSA?

A: One of the methods doctors sometimes use to check for the possibility of prostate cancer is a prostate-specific antigen blood test, or PSA, since many men with prostate cancer also have high levels of PSA in the blood. If blood test results show high levels of the substance in the bloodstream, the likelihood of prostate cancer being present increases.

Upon finding high levels of PSA in a blood test, your doctor will most likely recommend further testing or a biopsy. Doctors cannot diagnose prostate cancer on the results of a blood test alone, or even in conjunction with other diagnostic tests like digital rectal exams (DREs). In order for a diagnosis to be made, a biopsy of the prostate must be taken for microscopic examination in a lab. There, a pathologist can determine if the prostatic tissue indeed has cancerous cells developing and can diagnose the disease. The pathologist then puts the findings in a report which includes, among other information, the stage the prostate cancer has reached.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer in Georgia and feel it was discovered late or there was a failure to diagnose the disease by your doctor or medical professional, please request one of the Dover Law Firm’s free information resources on cancer available to you, including our book, I Have Cancer…Should It Have Been Caught Earlier?, and our report, Prostate Cancer: The Risks, the Warning Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment. You can also contact an experienced Atlanta medical malpractice and prostate cancer attorney at the Dover Law Firm at 770-518-1133 to discuss your legal options if you've received bad medical care for your cancer.

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