How Often Are Lung Cancer Diagnoses Wrong?
A lung cancer diagnosis can be devastating to hear. More than 228,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed and more than 142,000 people die from lung cancer each year. Misdiagnosis can further complicate the picture, causing dangerous delays in treatment and sometimes sending patients down the wrong treatment path. In this article we’ll discuss the symptoms of lung cancer and where a diagnosis can go wrong.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer
The primary symptoms of lung cancer include:
- A cough that doesn’t go away
- Coughing up blood
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Hoarseness
- Headache
- Bone pain
- Losing weight
Risk factors for lung cancer include smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke, exposure to asbestos or other carcinogens, exposure to radon or a family history of lung cancer.
Diagnosing Lung Cancer
A doctor will make the lung cancer diagnosis based on the results of tests, which may include:
- Imaging, including x-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans: If a mass or a lump appears on the scan, the doctor will run further tests to confirm the presence of lung cancer. If the doctor relies too heavily on imaging, the lump may not be cancerous, leading to misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments.
- Sputum tests: Collecting a patient’s sputum can avoid invasive tests because the sputum may contain cancer cells. However, sputum may also contain abnormal cells that aren’t cancerous. Sputum may also contain only normal cells, even if lung cancer is present.
- Bronchoscopy: Inserting a thin tube with a camera into the nose and airways can allow a doctor to view a tumor in the lungs or airways, as well as collect tissue for a biopsy. This testing is much more accurate.
- Biopsy: A sample of tissue can also be removed from other areas of the lungs that can’t be reached by bronchoscopy.
While the chances of receiving an incorrect lung cancer diagnosis are small, there are some illnesses and diseases that can often be mistaken for lung cancer, including:
- Lung abscesses
- Lymphoma
- Lung nodules
- Bronchial pneumonia
- Thoracic Hodgkin disease
- Encysted lung effusion
Because lung cancer can be an aggressive cancer, it’s important not to delay a diagnosis or treatment. But if you are concerned that your lung cancer diagnosis might be wrong, you can always seek a second or third opinion.If you or a loved one have been exposed to asbestos and have been diagnosed with lung cancer or an asbestos-related disease, you may be entitled to compensation. For a FREE consultation, call the Madeksho Law Firm at 1-888-910-MESO (6376), or contact us here. We have decades of experience helping victims of lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases.
