A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, but what happens when doctors get it wrong? Many serious conditions share symptoms with cancer, leading to misinterpretations that cause unnecessary stress, delayed treatment, and even harmful medical interventions. Some diseases are commonly misdiagnosed as cancer, while in other cases, doctors fail to recognize actual cancer, allowing it to progress unchecked.
Given that cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, these errors can have devastating consequences. Understanding what can be mistaken for cancer and how these mistakes happen is the first step in protecting your rights. If you suspect a medical error, such as an incorrect or delayed diagnosis of cancer, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. A Southfield cancer misdiagnosis lawyer at Lipton Law can help you understand your legal options moving forward.
Call our law firm at (248) 557-1688 to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team regarding your case.
What Is Cancer Misdiagnosis?
Cancer misdiagnosis occurs when medical professionals incorrectly identify cancer in a patient or fail to detect it when it is present. These errors can happen for many reasons, including unclear test results, symptoms that mimic other conditions, or failure to order the appropriate diagnostic tests.
Most doctors rely on imaging tests, biopsies, and lab results to confirm a diagnosis, but mistakes can still occur. Certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer, are more prone to misdiagnosis because their symptoms resemble other illnesses.
When doctors fail to recognize or accurately diagnose cancer, patients may suffer severe consequences. If a medical misdiagnosis has caused you or a loved one to suffer harm, legal action may be an option for those affected. Our medical misdiagnosis lawyers in Southfield, MI can evaluate the facts of your case and determine whether or not you have grounds for a lawsuit.
How Does Cancer Misdiagnosis Happen?
Cancer misdiagnosis can happen for several reasons. These include the way certain cancers look in the early stages, the symptoms that cancers share with other conditions, and a lack of testing/investigation on behalf of medical staff.
In many cases, early cancer symptoms are mild or mimic those of less serious conditions. If a doctor does not consider cancer as a possibility, they may fail to order the right tests, leading to a missed or incorrect diagnosis. A complete medical history is also essential in determining risk factors and guiding proper testing.
Other errors can occur as a result of unclear test results, misinterpreted lab work, or failure to follow up on abnormal findings. When these mistakes delay a correct diagnosis, patients may face unnecessary complications that could have been avoided with timely detection and treatment.
Misdiagnosed Symptoms
Certain cancer symptoms can resemble those of other medical conditions, leading to misdiagnosis and delays in proper treatment. However, these symptoms vary, depending on the kind of cancer a person has. Some common and general cancer symptoms that can be mistaken as another condition include:
- Constant fatigue
- Unexplained weight loss
- Skin changes
- Unexplained bloating or abdominal pain
- Persistent coughing
- Fever
- Unexplained lumps, like swollen lymph nodes
When doctors dismiss concerning symptoms as routine or fail to recommend further testing, patients may experience delays in receiving the care they need.
Commonly Misdiagnosed Cancer Types
There are a few types of cancer that are more commonly misdiagnosed by medical professionals than other types of cancer. According to a 2019 study, cancer made up 23% of all diagnostic errors in primary healthcare settings. The most common types of cancer that were misdiagnosed included colorectal cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, kidney and bladder cancer, and breast cancer.
Lung Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both men and women (behind skin cancer), and the average age of diagnosis is 70 years old. Unfortunately, not every lung cancer diagnosis is correct, and other conditions can be mistaken for lung cancer by medical professionals.
What Can Be Mistaken for Lung Cancer?
Conditions that can be mistaken for lung cancer include:
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Bronchiolitis
- Tuberculosis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Lymphoma
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
This often occurs because of each condition’s symptoms and their similarity to lung cancer symptoms. Shared symptoms can include coughing, chest pain, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Without a biopsy or laboratory analysis to confirm the cause, patients may undergo unnecessary treatments or experience delays in receiving the correct diagnosis.
How Often Is Lung Cancer Misdiagnosed As Pneumonia?
While it’s difficult to say how often lung cancer is misdiagnosed as pneumonia, pneumonia very closely mimics lung cancer and can even occur alongside lung cancer. Studies show that pneumonia occurs in 50% to 70% of lung cancer patients.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, and is the second most common type of cancer diagnosed in women. According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 13.1% of all women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. They also claim that there were over 3 million breast cancer patients living in the United States in 2021. Like other cancers, however, there are other conditions that can be mistaken for breast cancer by medical professionals.
What Can Be Mistaken for Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer can be mistaken for a number of conditions, such as fibrocystic breasts, benign tumors, infections like mastitis, and fat necrosis. These conditions can result in painful breast tissue, inflammation, lumps, swelling, or skin changes that resemble cancer on imaging scans.
Colon Cancer
Another commonly misdiagnosed type of cancer is colon cancer. The American Cancer Society claims that 1 in 24 men and 1 in 26 women will be diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime. However, many of the symptoms of colon cancer are similar to a range of other conditions, which can lead to a wrongful cancer diagnosis.
What Can Be Mistaken for Colon Cancer?
Gastrointestinal conditions like peptic ulcers, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and diverticulitis can be mistaken for colon cancer if there’s a lack of testing. This is because colon cancer shares symptoms with these conditions, including symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in digestion.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is another type of cancer that is often misdiagnosed. According to the American Cancer Society, it is the second most common type of cancer in men. However, there are a number of other, similar medical conditions that can be mistaken for prostate cancer.
What Can Be Mistaken for Prostate Cancer?
Certain conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and bladder cancer can be mistaken for prostate cancer. Shared symptoms like frequent urination, difficulty urinating, and pelvic discomfort can lead to misdiagnosis.
Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is also frequently misdiagnosed due to its subtle and nonspecific symptoms. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 1 in 64 people will develop pancreatic cancer in their lifetime. Unfortunately, there are a number of conditions that can present similar symptoms, leading to delays in an accurate diagnosis.
What Can Be Mistaken for Pancreatic Cancer?
Pancreatic cancer shares symptoms with several other medical conditions, leading to potential misdiagnosis. Common conditions mistaken for pancreatic cancer include:
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Peptic ulcers
- Hepatitis or liver disease
- Diabetes
Pancreatic cancer can be difficult to detect early, but medical negligence can lead to a wrongful cancer diagnosis rather than a correct, less serious diagnosis.
Can Pancreatic Cancer Be Misdiagnosed as Gallstones?
Pancreatic cancer can be misdiagnosed as gallstones because both conditions can cause abdominal pain, jaundice, nausea, and digestive issues. Since gallstones are more common and can block bile ducts like a tumor, doctors may initially assume gallstones are the cause of the symptoms.
Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is another very commonly misdiagnosed form of cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), melanoma is the most common type of cancer in the United States. However, harmless skin conditions can sometimes be mistaken for skin cancer, which can lead to wrongful medical treatments.
What Can Be Mistaken for Skin Cancer?
Eczema, psoriasis, fungal infections, or benign moles can sometimes be mistaken for skin cancer. This is because its symptoms, such as discoloration, rough patches, or sores that don’t heal, resemble skin cancers like melanoma and basal-cell carcinoma.
What to Do If Your Cancer Was Misdiagnosed in Michigan
If your cancer was mistakenly diagnosed, you may have legal options. In Michigan, patients harmed by diagnostic errors can pursue cancer misdiagnosis lawsuits to seek compensation for delayed treatment, unnecessary procedures, and emotional distress.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a cancer misdiagnosis, the Michigan medical misdiagnosis lawyers at Lipton Law can offer guidance. A medical malpractice attorney at our law firm can help determine if negligence played a role in your misdiagnosis. From there, we can help you seek compensation for your losses. Our lawyers can help those who have suffered from:
- Breast cancer misdiagnosis
- Colon cancer misdiagnosis
- Prostate cancer misdiagnosis
- Lung cancer misdiagnosis
- Skin cancer misdiagnosis
- Pancreatic cancer misdiagnosis
- Ovarian cancer misdiagnosis
- And more.
Cancer Misdiagnosis FAQs
Can Celiac Disease Be Mistaken for Cancer?
Celiac disease can be mistaken for cancer, especially gastrointestinal cancers like lymphoma or colon cancer. Symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain, and chronic diarrhea overlap with those of digestive tract cancers. Additionally, severe cases of untreated Celiac disease can cause intestinal damage that may appear cancerous on imaging or biopsies.
How Often Is Cancer Misdiagnosed as Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Cancer is misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a small percentage of cases, particularly with leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, which can cause joint pain and inflammation. Since symptoms overlap, doctors may initially treat patients for RA before identifying cancer through further testing.
Can Inflammation Be Mistaken for Cancer?
Inflammation can be mistaken for cancer because it can cause swelling, pain, and abnormal growths that appear suspicious on imaging tests. Certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma or sarcoma, trigger inflammatory responses that mimic infections or autoimmune diseases. Additionally, chronic inflammation from conditions like arthritis or infections can form masses that resemble tumors, leading to misdiagnosis if further testing isn’t performed.
Contact the Michigan Cancer Misdiagnosis Lawyers at Lipton Law Today
If your cancer was misdiagnosed, you may have lost valuable time that could have changed your outcome. When cancer is not detected early, treatment options become limited, and the consequences can be life-altering. Misdiagnosed patients deserve justice, especially when a doctor’s mistake leads to unnecessary suffering.
If you or a loved one experienced a delayed or incorrect diagnosis, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. Unlike other medical malpractice law firms, we at Lipton Law have a team of experienced nurses on board who help us evaluate your healthcare records and determine your eligibility. Cancer misdiagnosis claims are difficult to handle, but our Southfield medical malpractice lawyers are equipped to take them on.
Schedule a free consultation with us to discuss your legal options and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact Lipton Law today at (248) 557-1688 or contact us via our online contact form.