A recent study of breast cancer patients in the initial stages of cancer symptoms conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School found that about 25% of these patients experienced a process of care failure leading up to their diagnosis. This implies that one of every four of the patients in this study could have received a more timely diagnosis if not for the failure to properly observe and treat their patients.
The majority of these failures in process occurred during improper or inadequate examinations. Delayed diagnosis and failure to diagnose is not limited to breast cancer. Each type of cancer provides particular obstacles to proper diagnosis. Though all forms of cancer are a result of malignant growth of cells, not all forms of cancer behave in the same manner. Therefore, it is crucial to properly diagnose cancer so that efficient and effective treatment can be administrated.
A failure to diagnose cancer can have fatal implications. Because of the significantly differing methods of treating different types of cancer, proper and timely diagnosis is vital to the well-being of a patient. The Harvard study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, suggests that there are often breakdowns in the diagnostic process regarding both clinicians and patients. Patients do have certain responsibilities for seeking treatment. A doctor can provide no care for a patient who does not seek it. But the failure of doctors to diagnose represents a lack of professional care that patients expect in such potentially harmful situations.
Delayed diagnosis and failure to diagnose is unfortunately more common than many would expect. With significant advances in cancer research and cancer treatment, proper diagnosis can be the key to the effective treatment of a potentially life-threatening disease.
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