FIND
A FACILITY/WELLNESS CENTER
Back in 2005, a woman died of uterine and ovarian cancer. She had been diagnosed with the disease in 2001 but it was too late for treatment. However, her family believed that treatment would have been possible if the cancer had been caught sooner. Moreover, they believe that it should have been caught sooner. Seven months prior to the official diagnosis, she went to her doctor and had her concerns brushed off.
At the time, the doctor believed that the symptoms that she was reporting could be attributed to the side effects of taking hormone replacement therapy. The major symptom that had sent her to the doctor was excessive vaginal bleeding. The doctor could have ordered a biopsy at that time but opted not to under the assumption that the anti-aging medication was the cause of her problems. It was only after seven months had passed and the symptoms had not subsided that a biopsy was ordered and the cancer was found.
After the woman died, her family filed a malpractice suit. They say that the doctor's assumptions about the effects of the anti-aging drugs were the cause of the woman's death from cancer. However, a court has officially ruled that there was no malpractice involved in the case. Although it is true that earlier detection could have improved the benefits of treatment, it could not be said for sure that the delay in detection caused the woman's death.
You can read the details of the case here. The case highlights the importance of being an advocate for yourself when working with your doctor. If you believe that you are experiencing symptoms that aren't explained by your doctor's initial beliefs, don't hesitate to ask for a second opinion. A good doctor will always give you one.
Question of the Day: Would you have filed a malpractice suit if you had been in the same position?
