Failure to Diagnose

Doctors are responsible for correctly diagnosing patients so that appropriate treatment can take place in a timely manner. Failing to diagnose a patient can ruin a patient’s chance of recovery, especially if the disease is potentially fatal. It is crucial for diseases to be diagnosed as early as possible because most diseases get worse the longer they stay untreated. One of the most common diseases that is either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed is cancer. Some cancers cause symptoms in patients, while others are silent killers. The best way to find out if cancer is present is to perform a biopsy. Once cancer is identified in a patient, there are a variety of therapies and surgeries that can help treat it. However, the diagnosis of cancer must be correct and early for the patient to have the best chance of recovery.