What is cervical cancer?
The cervix is the opening to the uterus. It connects the uterus and the vagina. Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix.
How do doctor’s test for cervical cancer?
A Pap smear, part of your routine pelvic exam, can detect pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, even before the cancer forms. It is recommended that women have a Pap smear annually.
How does cervical cancer go undetected?
Misread Pap smears are the most common cause. Pap smears are normally read in a lab, not by your doctor. Doctors sometimes fail to follow up with patients who have an abnormal Pap smear reading. In other cases doctors ignore or overlook the symptoms of cervical cancer.
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding
- Unusual vaginal discharge (with or without blood)
- Vaginal odor
- Pelvic pain
- Pain during sex
- Bowel symptoms
- Blood in stool
- Bladder symptoms
- Blood in urine
What is the treatment for cervical cancer?
When detected early a simple, minimally invasive procedure called a cone biopsy can remove the pre-cancerous cells. If left to progress the treatment becomes more aggressive and much more invasive. In some cases a hysterectomy is required. In even more advanced cases chemotherapy and radiation are necessary, both of which can cause serious and even permanent health problems.
What can I do if I am the victim of failure to diagnose cervical cancer?
Talk to a dedicated medical malpractice attorney who has experience specifically with failure to diagnose cervical cancer. Cancer misdiagnosis cases are complicated and require special medical knowledge.
I have lost a loved one to misdiagnosed cervical cancer. Do I still have a case?
If you have lost a loved one to medical malpractice you may still be entitled to compensation under wrongful death.
New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer Michael L. Weiss, Esq. is currently litigating several cases on behalf of women with improperly delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer, and recently settled a claim stemming from an improperly delayed diagnosis of a cervical cancer for 1.8 million dollars. If you or a loved one has been harmed by a physician’s failure to diagnose cervical cancer, contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C., today.