Pancreatic Cancer Misdiagnosis - Medical Negligence
Pancreatic cancer is uncommon especially in those below 50 years of age. The most common symptoms are pain in the abdomen, weight loss and jaundice which may be associated with indigestion, sickness, bloating after meals and tiredness. Because of the vaguer nature of these symptoms, cancer of the pancreas may go undiagnosed especially as the symptoms may mimic other less serious medical conditions. Failure by a doctor to refer a patent to a cancer specialist for further testing due to misdiagnosis is medical negligence. Treatment of pancreatic cancer is by surgery if the tumour is small and by chemotherapy.
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Diagnosis
Diagnosis of cancer of the pancreas can be difficult and starts with a local doctor who should refer the patient to a hospital for specialist tests and subsequent treatment. The most important symptom is jaundice which may be evident from skin colour and yellowing of the whites of the eyes. Thereafter urine and blood tests should be sufficient to ensure referral where examination will involve further blood tests and x-rays and possibly, CT computerised tomography scans, ultrasound, MRI magnetic resonance imaging scans, ERCP endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography, EUS endoscopic ultrasound, biopsy and laparoscopy. All of these tests require human interpretation and there is therefore opportunity for misdiagnosis and medical negligence.