Cervical cancer is a scary but not necessarily fatal diagnosis.  There is treatment for cervical cancer.  However, treatment is most often effective when cancer of the cervix is diagnosed early.  Unfortunately, each year women and their loved ones suffer when cervical cancer is misdiagnosed.  There are a variety of ways that cervical cancer may be misdiagnosed, but responsibility and liability for the misdiagnosis most often lies with the doctor or lab.

How a Doctor May Misdiagnose Cervical Cancer

For more than 50 years, doctors have had the diagnostic tools for early detection of cervical cancer.  However, in many cases, Atlanta cancer misdiagnosis attorneys at The Dover Law Firm have represented clients who have been hurt when those tools were not properly used or when reasonable care was not provided and the patient was misdiagnosed as a result.

Specifically, a misdiagnosis of cervix cancer may occur when:

• A doctor fails to recognize the symptoms of cervical cancer or fails to take a complete patient history.
• A doctor fails to order a pap smear or misreads the pap smear results.
• A doctor fails to order further tests based on an abnormal pap smear.  A pap smear is not a diagnostic test, but rather a screening tool.  If a pap smear reveals the presence of abnormal cells, additional tests are typically required.

How a Lab May Misdiagnose Cervical Cancer

While doctors are often the responsible party when cancer is misdiagnosed, it is not always the fault of the physician.  Labs can also be responsible for the misdiagnosis of cervical cancer:

• Lab results may become contaminated.
• Lab results may be mixed up with another patient’s results.
• Lab tests may be incorrectly read.

What to Do if You’ve Suffered From the Misdiagnosis of Cervix Cancer

If you, your wife, mother, daughter, or sister have suffered from the failure to diagnose cervical cancer or from a cervical cancer misdiagnosis, it is important to contact an Alpharetta and Atlanta medical malpractice attorney.

The attorneys of The Dover Law Firm encourage you to read our free report, Cancer: Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Errors, and to contact a Georgia cancer misdiagnosis attorney directly to discuss your individual case. We can be reached at 770.518.1133 or via our online contact form.