Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Every year, more than 40,000 women in the United States die from breast cancer. Early detection by routine breast cancer screening followed by appropriate treatment immediately can prevent many of these deaths. Doctors failing to recommend routine breast cancer screening to their female patients and tracking abnormal findings may lead to medical malpractice.
Screening for breast cancer
Cancer experts usually advise doctors to order a mammogram every year and have an annual clinical breast exam for all women over the age of 40, even if the patient does not have a family history of breast cancer and has no symptoms. For women in their 20s and 30s, doctors should have a breast exam every 3 years. If the patient is at a moderate [15%-20%] lifetime risk, the physician should discuss the option to add an annual MRI during the screening process. For patients with a high lifetime risk [> 20%], the doctor should add an annual MRI during the screening process. Lifetime risk assessment is based on family history, the presence of genetic mutations, breast characteristics, and personal medical history.
A clinical breast examination determines if there are palpable masses in the breast or other abnormalities that may indicate the presence of cancer. Mammograms and MRI use imaging techniques to identify changes or bumps in the breast that may not be detected from clinical breast examinations. If an abnormality is found, a biopsy [breast tissue sampling] is performed to rule out or confirm the presence of cancer.
Tracking the progress of breast cancer through the stage
Once breast cancer is diagnosed, a five-stage staging system is used to classify cancer progression:
- [1] In situ ductal carcinoma [DCIS] is a non-invasive disease that includes abnormal cells confined to the intima of the mammary duct, and [2] lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS], in which abnormal cells are present in the breast. Leaflet.
- Phase I : The tumor is less than 2 cm and does not spread out of the breast.
- Phase IIA [1] No tumor was found in the breast but cancer was found in at least one axillary lymph node [the lymph nodes under the arm], [2] the tumor was 2 cm or less and had spread to the axillary lymph nodes, or [3] the tumor was at 2 cm. And between 5 cm, did not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
- second stage: [1] The tumor is between 2 cm and 5 cm and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes, or [2] the tumor is larger than 5 cm and does not spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
- second stage [1] No tumor was found in the breast, but cancer was found in axillary lymph nodes connected to or connected to other structures, or cancer was found in lymph nodes near the sternum, and [2] the tumor was 2 cm or less, cancer Diffusion into axillary lymph nodes that are interconnected or connected to other structures, or cancer may spread to lymph nodes near the sternum, [3] tumors larger than 2 cm but no larger than 5 cm and cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes that are interconnected or connected to other structures , or the cancer may spread to the lymph nodes near the sternum, or [4] the tumor is larger than 5 cm and the cancer has spread. The axillary lymph nodes may be connected to each other or to other structures, or the cancer may spread to the lymph nodes near the sternum.
- Stage IIIB : The tumor can be of any size, the cancer [1] has spread to the chest wall and / or breast skin, or [2] may spread to the axillary lymph nodes, may be connected to each other or to other structures, or the cancer may have spread to the lymph nodes near the sternum .
- second stage : If it is detected [1] in ten or more axillary lymph nodes, the cancer is operable, [2] found in the lymph nodes below the clavicle, or [3] found in the axillary lymph nodes and lymph nodes near the sternum. If the cancer spreads to the lymph nodes above the collarbone, the cancer cannot be operated.
- Fourth stage : Cancer has spread to other organs of the body, usually bones, lungs, liver or brain.
Cancer experts link a term called 5-year survival to every stage of cancer. For each phase, this statistic reflects the percentage of women who will survive 5 years or more after diagnosis at this particular stage.
For stage 0, treatment options include breastfeeding retention surgery [lurgectomy or partial mastectomy], sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymph node dissection and radiation therapy, mastectomy [for high-risk women, bilateral prophylactic mastectomy may be An option], and / or hormone therapy [such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors]. The 5-year survival rate for Phase 0 is close to 100%.
For stage I, treatment options include lumpectomy [breast retention surgery], sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymph node dissection and radiation, mastectomy, chemotherapy, and/or hormonal therapy. The 5-year survival rate of the first stage is also close to 100%.
For stage II, treatment options include breast preservation surgery [lurgectomy or modified mastectomy], sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymph node dissection and radiation, mastectomy, chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. Stage 5A has a 5-year survival rate of 92% and a Phase IIA of 81%.
For Stage IIIA, the treatment options are the same as in the second stage. Stage IIIA has a relative 5-year survival rate of 67%
For stages IIIB and IIIC, the choice of treatment depends on whether the cancer is operable. Chemotherapy is usually the initial treatment in an attempt to reduce the size of the tumor. If the tumor is operable, the treatment options may include breast-conserving surgery [lurgectomy or modified mastectomy] or mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy or lymphadenectomy, radiation and chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. If the cancer is inoperable, the 5-year survival rate for stage IIIB is 54%.
For stage IV, treatment typically includes radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and/or systemic chemotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy, radiation therapy, surgery and pain management medications, and clinical trials. The 5-year survival rate dropped to about 20%.
Failure to screen for breast cancer may lead to medical malpractice
Unfortunately, although statistics clearly show that early detection through breast cancer screening can save lives, there are still doctors failing to screen for breast cancer in women. They failed to have a breast exam and did not order a mammogram. And some doctors ignore abnormal breast examination results and even abnormal results of mammograms. When a cancer is discovered - usually because the patient sees a different doctor eventually undergoing a clinical breast exam or ordering a mammogram, or the patient begins to feel back pain or other symptoms - breast cancer has entered phase III or even the fourth stage. Now, the prognosis of this woman is very different from the prognosis of early detection of breast cancer by routine breast cancer screening. Because doctors fail to recommend female patients to undergo routine screening, or to track mammograms or MRI findings, breast cancer is now more advanced and women suffer from "loss". "Recover better opportunities." In other words, she is now less likely to develop breast cancer.
Contact a lawyer immediately
If you or your family have a delay in breast cancer diagnosis due to a doctor's failure to recommend routine screening or tracking abnormal breast exams or mammogram results, you will need to contact a lawyer immediately.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or medical advice. You should not take action or take action based on any information on this website without seeking professional legal counsel. A qualified attorney with experience in medical malpractice can help you determine if you may be delaying the diagnosis of breast cancer because your doctor is unable to provide breast cancer screening. There is a time limit in this case, so don't wait to call.
Orignal From: Breast cancer screening and medical malpractice
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