Although there has recently been a certain amount of debate over what the standard of care should be in screening asymptomatic male patients for prostate cancer one factor remains constant: if the result of a screening test is abnormal the patient needs to be informed of the results and advised about the option for diagnostic testing such as a biopsy.

Should the doctor fail to do so the patient’s prostate cancer may spread and metastasize thereby become incurable before the patient becomes symptomatic and is finally diagnosed. That patient and his family may have a failure to diagnose medical malpractice claim against the doctor.

The digital examination of the prostate gland is one of the two tests routinely used to screen men for prostate cancer. The presence of a nodule or hardened area on the gland is an abnormal finding that could indicate cancer. Below are three examples of cases involving abnormal findings on a digital examination:

Case 1:

This case involved a 73 year old male patient whose PCP (primary care physician). Even though the patient did not have any symptoms of prostate cancer the PCP correctly performed the appropriate screening tests. The PPCP ordered PSA blood testing and performed a digital examination. The blood tests showed abnormally high levels of PSA. The digital examination revealed that the patient’s prostate was enlarged. Two signs pointed toward the possibility that the patient had prostate cancer.

Yet, the PCP did not inform his patient that the results of the blood test and the digital examination were abnormal and suspicious for cancer. The PCP likewise did not order any follow-up tests to rule out prostate cancer. By the time the patient was finally diagnosed the cancer had metastasized to the bone. The law firm that handled this case reported that they were able to achieve a recovery of $591,000 on behalf of the patient.

Case 2:

This case involved an internist who was seen by a patient complaining of urinary problems. The internist performed a digital examination and noted that the patient’s prostate gland was enlarged. The internist then ordered a biopsy. This is standard when there is an abnormal finding on the digital examination. The biopsy was performed at a local hospital. The pathologist who examined the biopsy samples documented in a written report that the samples contained prostate cancer. It took a year before the results were not communicated to the patient. The delay allowed the cancer to spread. It eventually took the patient’s life. The law firm that handled this case reported that the matter settled prior to trial for a confidential amount.

As both of these cases demonstrate it is not enough to comply with screening guidelines. Doctors must follow up when the results of screening tests come back as abnormal. Not doing so puts the patient at risk that he does in fact have prostate cancer and that the cancer will grow and spread to the point where it metastasizes and is no longer curable. If that happens the best that treatment can do is to slow down the spread of the cancer and eventually to minimize the effects (such as pain) of the cancer. All likely fully preventable if the doctor follows up on the abnormal screening test results.

Thus a doctor who does not follow up when, for example, a digital examination catches the presence of a nodule or hardened area on a patient’s prostate gland may be liable for medical malpractice.

Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney focused on catastrophic injury and medical malpractice cases. Learn more about pedestrian accident cases at http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com/advanced-prostate-cancer.shtml

It is the diagnosis that no one wants to hear. Despite years of research, the word “cancer” continues to strike fear into the hearts of men, women, and children. While the detection of cancer is no longer a death sentence, there is always the possibility that cancer will accelerate the end of one’s life. With a diagnosis of cancer, one comes face-to-face with one’s own mortality.

There are a number of stressful aspects to a cancer diagnosis. Primary among these is the possibility that the cancer will be fatal. As a result, cancer can cause tremendous stress to one’s interpersonal relationships. Your family and friends may be on edge, worrying that you might die. You may also be short-tempered because you’re not certain how many more days you might have to live. You may be frustrated and anxious and may find it difficult to sleep.

Cancer can also lead to a great deal of financial stress. There are bills for doctors, for treatments, for medication, for surgery. At times, the costs can seem staggering. While your health insurance might cover part of the expense, you yourself might have to shoulder the rest of the cost. If you were barely getting by before your diagnosis, you might find it especially difficult dealing with the financial aspect of cancer.

The process of chemotherapy itself can be highly stressful. To begin with, you will not feel as energetic as you usually are, leaving you with the stress of wondering how you will get everything done. Also, you may feel nauseated, making it difficult for you to complete your work at the office or your work at home. Finally, losing your hair to chemotherapy can be quite a stressful experience. You have to decide how to handle your baldness-whether you will invest in a wig, a scarf, or just “go natural.” The baldness is particularly stressful for women, who tend to base a great deal of their self-image on how they look.

Realizing that cancer will put you under a great deal of stress is half the battle. Then, you must learn to deal effectively with your stress. For some cancer patients, this means engaging in relaxation exercises. For instance, you might envision that your white blood cells are eating up cancer cells. You might picture the cancer leaving your body, and your body being left healthy as a result. Or you might picture your cancer washing away to the sea. Such mind relaxation techniques can leave you with a more upbeat, enthusiastic attitude and can be highly beneficial in your recovery.

Another stress-reliever is spending some time reading inspirational works. Whether you draw your inspiration from Ronald Reagan or Mother Teresa, reading about how famous people overcame difficulties can help you as you battle your own demons. Such works can be greatly uplifting, giving you the courage and strength necessary to battle cancer heroically.

You might also be able to reduce cancer-related stress by changing your diet. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can improve both your physical health and your mental outlook. In this way, you will be better able to handle the stresses of cancer treatment.

Yet another effective stress-reducing technique is to join a support group of cancer survivors. This can be tremendously beneficial to your overall well-being. You’ll gain strength from listening to the experiences of other men and women who are facing the same challenges you are. And the fellowship that results from group meetings can aid you in your recovery.

There is no easy way to deal with the stress of cancer. It is a debilitating disease which can sap your physical strength and deplete your emotional reserves. It can leave you feeling battle-scarred and may, at times, lead to a feeling of hopelessness. The good news is that recovery rates are better than ever before-especially when the cancer is caught early. There is a good chance that you will be able to survive cancer, and your recovery could add years to your life. If at any time you find the stress of cancer to be overwhelming, make sure that you mention it to your doctor. He or she might be able to assist you with additional coping strategies that can help you deal with this devastating illness.

Melissa Smith is an author whose interests spans shopping, life, health and wealth, family and the outdoors. Check out her work at http://www.shoppinghaven.net today.

Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer cases are all too common. One common type of medical error that forms the basis for these cases occurs when the male patient’s family doctor (1) actually screens the patient for prostate cancer by monitoring the level of PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) in his bloodstream, (2) notes abnormally elevated levels of PSA and yet (3) neither informs him of abnormal results nor orders diagnostic tests, such as a biopsy, to rule out prostate cancer. The three cases below illustrate this situation.

Case 1:

In this case a male patient followed up when advised by his internist that he probably had cancer. The diagnosis: advanced prostate cancer. The issue in this case was that the internist did not inform the patient that he might have cancer until the third year of elevated PSA test results. The year before the patient’s PSA level had risen to 13.6. Two years prior to that it had been at 8.0. During these years the internist took no action to rule out prostate cancer as the source of these elevated readings and did not inform the patient. By the time he was diagnosed surgery was not among the treatment options. Instead the patient underwent radiation therapy and hormone therapy in an attempt to slow down the further progression of the cancer. The law firm handling this matter reported that the case went to mediation and settled for $600,000.

Case 2:

In this case a male patient found out when he was 64 years old that he had prostate cancer that had spread to the seminal vesicles. He only discovered that he had cancer because a family member urged him to consult with a urologist. It was the urologist who diagnosed the cancer. The patient’s family doctor, a general practitioner, had been screening the patient for prostate cancer through PSA testing. Yet, he never told the patient that his PSA level had been elevated and rising – from 5.95 and 5.33 to 7.04 over a period of sixteen months. Not only did this general practitioner not tell the patient that this readings were abnormal and might be due to prostate cancer, he actually told the patient that the results were normal for a man his age. The law firm that handled this matter reported a settlement in the amount of $1,500.00.

Case 3:

In this case, a male patient was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at age fifty after switching doctors. His prior doctor, a family doctor, had ordered a PSA test to screen for prostate cancer when the patient had gone in for his annual physical five years earlier. Even though the test results came back abnormally high the doctor never repeated the test and never ordered a biopsy to rule out prostate cancer. By the time he was diagnosed his only options for treatment was to attempt to slow the progress of the cancer. A cure was no longer possible. The law firm that handled this matter reported that the case settled for $750,000. This settlement amount represents the maximum value of the claim for him and his wife ($250,000 each due to caps of non-economic injury) and his estimated lost earnings.

As the above cases illustrate doctors sometimes follow the guidelines in performing screening for prostate cancer yet when the test results are abnormal they do not follow through. At a minimum they should inform the patient that the results of the screening tests are abnormal and refer the patient to a urologist. Another option is to order suggest diagnostic testing, such as a biopsy. When they do nothing in the presence of abnormal test results and the patient later learns that he had prostate cancer and that the delay resulted in it spreading outside the prostate thus limiting treatment options and decreasing his chances of surviving the cancer, the patient may have a claim for medical malpractice.

Joseph Hernandez is an Attorney focused on catastrophic injury and medical malpractice cases. Learn more about pedestrian accident cases at http://www.prostatecancerlaw.com/advanced-prostate-cancer.shtml

Every year in the United States alone more than 186,000 men, just diagnosed with a malignancy of the prostate, are hoping there is a prostate cancer cure. These one hundred and eighty six thousand men join an exclusive club of approximately 5 million others in the U.S. with prostate cancer. Out of the five million, approximately 28,000 will die each year from the disease of prostate cancer. However, thousands of others with a malignant prostate will die from other diseases and natural causes, but not from the effects of prostate cancer. This article will explore the truth about a prostate cancer cure.

Sidebar: This article is not intended as medical advice, nor should it be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. As always with a physical illness you should consult your personal physician right away. Please read on for more information. End of Sidebar.

At the present time there is no cure for prostate cancer. In other words no one treatment or combination of treatment has been found to be 100% effective in curing a malignant tumor of the prostate. But, nearly all men with the prostate disease can take hope. The primary reason for this hope is that many of these treatments and combination of treatments have been found to slow or stop the growth of the cancer for more than 5 years or longer.

As a matter of fact more than 98% of all men, with cancer of the prostate, will find themselves in total remission after being treated for the disease. Many of these same men will go on to live for more than 10 years or longer. Some Doctors have gone as far as to tell their patients they have experienced “a prostate cancer cure” when they have lived 10 years or longer. However, the same medical professionals continue to advise these men to be screened on a regular basis.

Primarily because of the risk of the same type of cancer returning or hidden cancer cells were not destroyed during the treatments. Thus allowing these cells to escape into the blood stream and perhaps infecting other organs or bones of the body. Again this type of cancer is so slow growing it may take years for it to manifest itself in other areas of the body.

Those in the medical community continue to believe that a prostate cancer cure is just around the corner, because of the above results and further research into the genetics of the cancer cell. Furthermore, other studies which are currently underway or looking at a vaccine that may prevent prostate cancer from occurring. It is hoped these studies will also shed additional light on a possible cure of the cancer.

Frankly, it is not difficult to visualize there being a complete cure within the very near future. Such great strides have been made over the last two decades in research and technology. Even as you are reading this article, new technology is on the drawing board which will advance overall treatment of prostate cancer and possibly lead to that ever elusive cure.

In conclusion if you are among the 186,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, you may well see a prostate cancer cure, long before it can kill you. In order to be one of those “cured” consult with your Doctors and stay informed.

The author is a freelance write and blogs at http://pinoynets.com

Prostate cancer begins as a tumor develops in the prostate. Prostate Cancer that spreads outside the prostate gland to the lymph nodes, bones, or further areas is called metastatic prostate cancer.

Unfortunately at this time, no treatments can cure advanced prostate cancer. Doctors however do have ways to help manage its spread and related symptoms.

Any methods that slow down advanced prostate cancer usually have a lot of side effects that can sometimes be more debilitating than the prostate cancer itself. Older individuals usually choose not to treat their advanced prostate cancer because of these side effects.

Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer:

The male hormone testosterone stimulates the prostate cancer growth. Reducing testosterone levels is usually the first form of treatment if the prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body. A reduction in testosterone can slow the growth of prostate cancer cells and shrink prostate cancer tumors.

Hormone therapy can risks include loss of sex drive, impotence and weakened bones. Typically most patients using hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer become less responsive to its benefits over time (hormone therapy resistance).

Chemotherapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer:

Until recently the only treatment for prostate cancer was hormone therapy, however now those suffering from advanced prostate cancer have a single chemotherapy drug: Taxotere. Taxotere (given with the steroid prednisone) can hinder cancer cells from dividing and growing.

Like any other chemotherapy Taxotere side effects include nausea, hair loss, deficient bone marrow and the decline (or stopping) of red blood cell formation. Taxotere has been known to extend a patient’s life from several months all the way up to several years.

Prostate Cancer Surgery:

If an individual has reoccurring or advanced prostate cancer they may choose to have the entire prostate gland removed. This surgical procedure is called a radical prostatectomy. Along with the removal of the prostate gland surgeons will usually remove the lymph nodes surrounding the prostate as well.

If the prostate cancer has not spread beyond the prostate gland Cyrosurgery may be used to kill the cancer cells. Cyrosurgery uses extremely cold temperatures to freeze and effectively destroy the cancer cells.

In an effort to reduce testosterone levels in the body permanently doctors may suggest removing the testicles. This procedure is called an orchiectomy. Patients who receive this surgery may choose get prosthetics inserted that have the same shape and size of the testicles.

Cutting Edge Treatment for Prostate Cancer:

One of the exciting new treatments for advanced prostate cancer that is currently being developed involves using genetically modified viruses and Prostate-Specific Antigen .

Here’s how it works. The patient is injected with a modified virus that contains PSA (prostate-specific antigen). When the body’s immune system encounters this virus it learns that this virus is dangerous and must be attacked.

Since this virus has PSA characteristics in it researchers hope that the immune system will also attack prostate cancer cells that contain PSA, thus strategically destroying prostate cancer cells.

This form of treatment is so promising because it could prove to be very effective with very few side effects. Only time will tell of course.

Get other helpful resources on prostate cancer at http://www.prostatecancerblog.info/

As with most cancers, the earlier you detect lung cancer the better your chances of survival. In fact, when it’s caught in the first stages, there’s an almost 50% survival rate after five years. This is a remarkable number considering the fact that overall, lung cancer has only a 15% survival rate.

So the earlier it’s diagnosed the better.

And that’s why being aware of the signs of lung cancer can mean the difference between surviving and becoming a statistic.

The Early Signs

Since the early signs of lung cancer can easily be mistaken for other conditions, it’s often difficult to take them seriously. However, if you’re experiencing a chronic cough that doesn’t appear related to a virus or allergy, wheezing, chest pain, bouts of bronchitis, or a persistent fever … it’s time to pay attention.

Lung cancer symptoms are often related to the location of the lesions, which settle into the tissues of the lung first. That’s why the early signs tend to reflect common cold, flu, and bronchial illnesses. Once the cancer moves beyond the bronchia, new symptoms arise.

The Later Signs

Once lung cancer has metastasize and moved beyond the bronchia, the signs can expand dramatically. For instance, if the cancer has spread to the brain, then common signs might include blurred vision, stroke, and migraines. As you can see, these are serious symptoms that could be related to any number of illnesses. The point is this: don’t dismiss them.

In addition, signs such as depression, weight loss, fatigue, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness should be taken seriously.

When To See A Doctor

While you don’t want to be running to your doctor every time you get the sniffles, if the above signs show themselves, especially if they’re persistent, it’s better to be safe than sorry. This is particularly true if you’ve been a smoker or are currently smoking, or if you’ve ever been exposed to asbestos over an extended period.

It only takes a few hours out of your life to make an appointment and visit your doctor. Here are the signs that should inspire action:

- Unexplained loss of weight
- Persistent shortness of breath
- Stubborn respiratory infections that keep coming back
- A chronic cough that has no apparent cause
- Pain in your chest
- Wheezing
- Fatigue (again, if it has no apparent cause)

The point to remember is that your immune system is busy fighting the cancer. This is why you may find yourself constantly run down and battling nagging infections. It’s also one of the reason you may experience mood changes and irritability.

Conclusion

There is a caveat, unfortunately. Nearly a quarter of the people diagnosed with lung cancer never experience any symptoms at all. So while these lung cancer signs can serve as red flags, their absence doesn’t necessarily mean everything is just fine. Another reason to see your doctor for an annual checkup.

Learn more about the early symptoms of lung cancer here: http://lungcancerinsights.com/early-symptoms-of-lung-cancer.html. And for additional information about lung cancer, its stages and its treatments visit: http://lungcancerinsights.com