LUNG CANCER - CLINICAL NEGLIGENCE

Common Causes

Lung cancer is responsible for the more deaths than any other carcinoma throughout the world due largely to the popularity of smoking tobacco. Smoking tobacco is not the only cause of this disease and occupational and environmental exposure to harmful products including asbestos fibres and radon gas which causes 15,000 lung cancer deaths a year in Europe, can also be to blame. Air pollution should also not be overlooked as a possible cause, particularly for people living or working in areas close to power plants.

Genetic Factors

There are clear indications that there is a genetic disposition to developing lung cancer which is shown by the fact that not all heavy smokers develop the problem. This suggests that genetic factors provide either protection from or a susceptibility to the disease.

Diagnosis

Regardless of the cause, diagnosing lung cancer should not be a problem for a professionally trained and alert physician. Your doctor will have a wide variety of diagnostic tests at his or her disposal, from your personal medical history and a medical examination to chest x-rays, CT scans, CAT scans, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, PET scans, bone scans, bronschoscopies, sputum cytology tests, needle biopsies, blood tests and thoracentesis tests. There are a plethora of tests available and as such there is very little excuse for a doctor to incorrectly diagnose or fail to diagnose or mis-diagnose lung cancer.

Treatment

Lung cancer can usually be successfully treated if it is diagnosed at an early stage. The earlier that a doctor finds lung cancer, the simpler, less invasive and less radical the treatment will be. Because of the often aggressive nature of cancer development, any delay risks the cancer spreading to other areas in the body which can cause serious complications for both treatment and further diagnosis.

Mis Diagnosis

There are also situations in which patients are incorrectly diagnosed with lung cancer, although this is a rare due to the improvements in diagnostic tests in recent years. When lung cancer is diagnosed wrongly and there is actually no disease present the problems can be just as serious as if there had been cancer. Dangerous and uncomfortable treatments including radio therapy and chemo therapy may be incorrectly prescribed and this is in addition to the emotional and financial stresses placed on anyone who has been mis-diagnosed with this often fatal disease.

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