Ignored High PSA Might Give Rise To Malpractice Claim
An elevated or quickly rising PSA might mean that a man has prostate cancer and as a result doctors generally recommend that a patient with an elevated or rapidly rising PSA have a biopsy.
There are, however, two principal issues with a biopsy. First a biopsy checks just a portion of the prostate. It is thus possible that the a biopsy may produce a false negative and not catch the cancer. Second, biopsies pose dangers, such as the danger of infection and the risk of severe bleeding.
Concern about these two issues seems to motivate some physicians to adise that male patients with a high PSA follow a plan of “watchful waiting.” This is an approach where the physician periodically monitors the patient’s elevated PSA for months or years. In this time some doctors suggest that the individual try non cancer related therapies, such as, for infection, based on the possibility that should the PSA is elevatedhigh due to something other than prostate cancer such treatments may bring the PSA back to normal levels.
What can go wrong with this approach? The physician could too much time pass prior to advising that the patient undergo a biopsy. As the PSA increases the probability grows that the rising levels result from prostate cancer, as does the possibility that the cancer has progress beyond the gland resulting in a finding of advanced prostate cancer.
Should a physician, by suggesting that the man delay instead of immediately doing diagnostic testing, causes a situation in which the cancer spreads and achieves an advanced stage, a cancer attorney can help you decide if you may have a medical malpractice case against that doctor.
The preceeding is just basic information that is readily obtainable and is meant for elementary educational purposes only. It should not be taken as medical advice. Talk to with a doctor if you have any health related problems and before accepting any medical advice. The above is also not legal advice. Talk to an attorney with regards to any possible legal issues.















