Prostate cancer accounts for nearly a quarter of all cancer diagnoses in men each year, according to the American Cancer Society, and it is estimated that in 2010 alone, over 217,000 men died from the disease. 

 Unfortunately, doctors sometimes fail to diagnose prostate cancer or may misdiagnose the cancer. This can be a devastating situation. If a delayed diagnosis occurs, the cancer is given more time to grow and develop to an advanced stage. Once these stages are reached, treatment options may not be as effective.

Prostate cancers can be misdiagnosed by doctors and pathologists in many ways, including:

• Benign tumors diagnosed as malignant (this is known as a false-positive result and can lead to unnecessary testing, biopsies and treatments)
• Cancerous tumors diagnosed as benign growths (this is known as a false-negative result and is a common cause of a delayed or late diagnosis)
• Results from diagnostic testing interpreted incorrectly
• Patients at high risk of prostate cancer not screened regularly
• Malignant areas missed during a biopsy
• Tumors’ level of aggressiveness diagnosed incorrectly
• Failure to listen to or act on patient complaints

There are many other ways that prostate cancer can be misdiagnosed, as well. If you are unsure with your care by your doctor concerning a potential prostate cancer diagnosis, it is important to seek a second opinion.