One of the common problems with making a cancer diagnosis—and a reason why a doctor may get it wrong or delay the diagnosis—is that cancer can have symptoms that are similar to other medical conditions. This means that even when a doctor correctly identifies a patient’s symptoms, they may still come to the wrong conclusion.
For example, cancer often causes excessive fatigue. However, fatigue can also result from many anxiety disorders or depression. It could be caused by anemia, a vitamin deficiency or even chronic fatigue syndrome. While fatigue is certainly one potential sign that someone is suffering from cancer—as it grows and the body fights the disease—it can be easy for a doctor to attribute it to a different condition.
Chronic issues
One of the potential identifying features of cancer is that it can cause chronic symptoms that don’t go away with time. Even if these symptoms don’t get worse, they are persistent.
But cancer is not the only disorder that can cause these types of chronic issues. For instance, someone could be suffering from a disorder like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes or Crohn’s disease.
On top of that, doctors have to consider the patient’s lifestyle choices. For instance, some of these chronic symptoms could be traced back to alcoholism or dietary habits. So, even when the symptoms are persistent, the doctor may not immediately identify cancer as the root cause.
A dangerous delay
When a doctor misdiagnoses cancer, it can cause a significant delay in treatment. This is particularly problematic with cancer because early treatment massively increases the chances of a positive outcome. Patients who have suffered harm need to know what steps to take.
