Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer
By: CPR @ Jan 12, 2016
According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer accounts for less than three percent of cancers amongst women. But it causes more deaths than any other cancers of the female reproductive system. The poor prognosis for the disease is due, in part, to difficulty in detection. Ovarian cancer has no symptoms in early stages, and symptoms usually only develop once the disease has progressed to a dangerous degree. In fact, the five-year survival rate for the cancer is only about 45 percent. Without early detection, early treatment is nearly impossible, allowing the cancer to spread quickly throughout the body.
But new advances in medicine may change that, making early detection—and therefore treatment—of the cancer possible. While there is still work yet to do, the future is hopeful.
New Screenings for Ovarian Cancer
Traditional screenings for ovarian cancer, as reported by The New York Times, utilize two methods: examining the ovaries via ultrasound, or the use of a blood test to measure levels of CA125, a known ‘tumor marker.’ These methods have not been effective in lowering the rates of death caused by ovarian cancer.
The new method of detecting ovarian cancer—which researchers say require more studying before being used—also uses CA125 levels in the blood, but in a unique way. Rather than just declaring a level of CA125 to be abnormal or dangerous, researchers have developed a specific formula that does not only account for levels of CA125, but also a woman’s age and changes in CA125 levels over time.
Still a Long Way to Go
While this new method shows hope, Dr. Edward E. Partridge told reports that “it’s a long way from being implemented as public health policy.” And Dr. Usha Menon stated the positive results seen by use of the new method may be due to chance, and that more years of patient monitoring are necessary to know for sure whether the early detection method is effective.
Delayed Diagnosis for Cancer
When cancer, ovarian or otherwise, goes undiagnosed, patients can suffer serious harm as a result Often times, early detection and treatment is the key from preventing cancer from spreading to other parts of the body, leading to severe health complications, including death. If you are the victim of a delayed or misdiagnosis that you believe your physician should have recognized but did not, and if you have suffered harm as a direct result of that delayed or misdiagnosis, you deserve to be compensated.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit for Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
Ovarian cancer can difficult to diagnose early. But with proper monitoring it can be caught in the early stages. If your doctor did not diagnose your cancer as a result of negligence, you may have a medical malpractice claim for damages. At the law firm of Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C, our skilled New Jersey and Pennsylvania medical malpractice attorneys can help you to file your claim for compensation and recover the money to which you are entitled.
If you are ready to learn more about your rights as a victim of medical malpractice, contact our law firm to schedule your free case consultation today. We are available to talk now at (215) 567-3500.
