African-american Men Recover By Doctors For Prostate Cancer Metastasizes Because Of Holdup In Diagnosis

Below we examine two lawsuits that give us an understanding of the value of testing men for prostate cancer. Although there has been a certain amount of discussion of late about the worth of screening male patients for prostate cancer (in particular regarding the PSA screening test) certain facts continue to be undisputable. First, prostate cancer leads to an escalating PSA level. Next, African-American males have a bigger probability of developing prostate cancer while in an early stage. Third, when prostate cancer is found early, the patient has an excellent chance of conquering the cancer. Fourth, if it is not identified until it has reached an advanced stage, there is currently no way to eliminate the cancer. Finally, most doctors acknowledge that at the minimum a doctor should have a conversation with a male patient of a certain age on the subject of screening for prostate cancer and that dialogue and any testing should happen at an earlier age for African-American men.

In one medical malpractice claim, a man of African-American heritage routinely saw his family physician. Over the space of time, the doctor treated the man for a number of medical concerns. Among them were prostate related ailments. Yet, the doctor never properly carry out testing during the time the individual was without symptoms or diagnostic testing to rule out the possibility of prostate cancer when the man had prostate related probles. When the man was 57, he came across an article which described the advantages of testing and requested the screening. At the time he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. The law firm that represented the man published that the matter was settled for the sum of $750,000.

Consider the other published case of a forty one year-old African-American male who had been involved in an ad campaign meant to raise awareness about the risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged males of African-American descent asked his doctor screen him for the cancer. The man's doctor conducted a physical examination of the prostate that found no palpable abnormalities on the prostate but the doctor did not include a PSA test when ordering blood tests. The man figured a PSA test was ordered and just believed the results were fine given that he did not hear anything more about it. The patient saw the physician again two years later. The doctor again did not get a PSA test. This time the physician did not even do a digital examination.

Subsequently that year the patient saw another physician in the same practice. This doctor performed a digital examination and ordered a PSA test. The result – the patient, now approaching 45, had metastatic cancer which had reached the bone. The patient filed a lawsuit against the doctor who had failed to get the PSA testing. The law firm that took the case documented that the case was settled pending an appeal of a $2.75 Million jury verdict.

What these cases illustrate is that, despite any discussion over the advantages of screening male patients for prostate cancer, failing to do so may end in spread of the cancer and in time, the patient's death : a death that may have be prevented. If you or a member of your family did not have the cancer diagnosed until the cancer had reached an advanced stage because the physician never notified the man concerning screening methods or otherwise let to a holdup in the detection or treatment of the cancer, you ought to contact an attorney right away.

By: J. Hernandez

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Joseph Hernandez is an attorney accepting cancer malpractice cases. To learn about prostate cancer and other cancer matters including metastatic breast cancer visit the websites