Colon Cancer Misdiagnosis
We found you very professional as well as approachable, helpful and caring. We can now move on and look forward to a more stable and secure future. I am sure that this would not have happened without yourselves being involved.
Jayne, Evesham
Cancer of the colon, otherwise known as Colorectal cancer is preventable through regular testing and through the removal of polyps in the colon, which can grow into cancerous tumours. Colorectal cancer usually starts as a small polyp inside the colon or the rectum. They can take between 5 and 15 years to become cancerous. Symptoms include bleeding from the rectum, changes in bowel habits such as prolonged or intermittent diarrhoea or constipation, pain in the abdomen or rectum and unexplained weight loss. A diagnosis can be confirmed by a blood test together with a barium enema and colonoscopy. Treatment is often highly successful with surgery, followed by a course of chemotherapy. People with a family history are at higher risk of developing tumours of the colon.
Colon cancer misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis
Unfortunately there are times when colon cancer can be misdiagnosed. We have represented clients in cases where GPs following an examination of patients have failed to refer them on for FAP screening, and where subsequent test results have either been misinterpreted or even mixed-up with other patients' results. Unfortunately a delay in treatment for colon cancer can be debilitating and can lead to intense courses of chemotherapy, extensive surgery including ileostomy or even death.
John's story
John's maternal grandmother and mother had both died from colon cancer resulting from Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP). FAP is a rare hereditary disease caused by a chromosomal disorder with there being a 50% risk of the disease being transmitted from parent to child. In 1978, John was referred by his GP to his local hospital for screening for FAP. This was reported as being negative. However, he was told that he needed to be reviewed in three years time. This review did not take place. It was not until 1999, when John's sister died of colorectal cancer, complicated by FAP, that John was eventually screened again. This time he was told that he had polyps in his rectum which were eventually shown to be cancerous. John had to undergo extensive surgery which included an ileostomy. He also required a prolonged period of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. With our help, John successfully pursued a clinical negligence claim against his local hospital for their negligence in failing to carry out proper screening in 1978 and failing to recall John for review from 1980 onwards. We successfully argued that if the FAP had been diagnosed earlier, then the cancer would not have spread to the extent that it did and crucially John's prognosis would have been much improved.
Talk to an expert about making a claim
Call us on 0870 024 0558 or fill in our claim form and we will get back to you.
If you would like us to provide you with advice with regard to your potential claim, please complete our brief claim form. We will reply to your enquiry within one working day.
Fill out our quick claim form
If you would like to speak to someone directly about your claim, please call our friendly team on:
0870 024 0558