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Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer: Medico-legal implications

Andrews, B.T., Bates, Tom (2000) Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer: Medico-legal implications. Breast, 9 (4). pp. 223-237. ISSN 0960-9776. (doi:10.1054/brst.1999.0121) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:66410)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
https://doi.org/10.1054/brst.1999.0121

Abstract

Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer is an important cause of medical malpractice claims which if trends continue, will threaten healthcare budgets. Most malpractice claims are made by younger women. Delay is most frequently due to the physician failing to be impressed with the clinical findings, or to a false negative mammogram report. Diagnosis of breast cancer is more difficult in younger women, because of the poor sensitivity of diagnostic tests and the high prevalence of benign disease in this age group. Models of tumour growth suggest that the potential to metastasize may be present before the tumour is clinically detectable and that if the growth rate of a given tumours is constant, any clinical delay is a small proportion of the lifespan of the tumour. Patient delay is generally associated with more advanced lesions at presentation, but the effect of delay on survival or what period of delay is significant remains uncertain. Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer is likely to cause the patient considerable anxiety, especially when the public understands that the aim of mammographic screening is to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage in order to effect a cure. For a plaintiff to successfully claim in court she must prove that she has suffered an injury, and that the injury was the result of negligent medical practice. It is easier to defend a case of delay in diagnosis if the documentation is in order and all the appropriate tests have been performed.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1054/brst.1999.0121
Additional information: Unmapped bibliographic data: DB - Scopus [Field not mapped to EPrints] M3 - Article [Field not mapped to EPrints]
Divisions: Divisions > Directorate of Education > School of Education
Depositing User: Bates Tom
Date Deposited: 15 Jan 2019 12:17 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:25 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/66410 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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