What Happens When Physcians Fail To Test African-American Males For Cancer In A Timely Fashion
This article discusses two lawsuits that provide insight into the worth of testing males for prostate cancer. Although there has been some controversy of late on the worth of testing male patients for prostate cancer (specifically concerning the PSA screening test) a number of points continue to be undisputable. To begin with, prostate cancer causes the PSA to rise. Next, African-American males have a larger likelihood of developing prostate cancer while in an early stage. Third, if prostate cancer is diagnosed early, the patient has an excellent chance of conquering the cancer. Fourth, when it is not detected until it has already spread, there is at this time no known cure. Finally, most physicians are in agreement that at the very least a doctor should have a conversation with men of a specified age pertaining to testing for prostate cancer and that discussion and any screening ought to take place at an earlier age for African-American men.
In one malpractice case, a man of African-American descent had been treating with his primary care physician for various issues, in particular prostate related issues. But, the doctor did not adequately do screening during the time the man was without symptoms or diagnostic testing to rule out the possibility of prostate cancer during the times the man had prostate related issues. When the man was 57, he read an article explaining the benefits of cancer testing and asked the doctor to test him. The tests detected that he had metastatic prostate cancer. The law firm that represented the man reported the matter was settled for three quarter of a million dollars.
Consider the next published case of a forty one year-old African-American man who had taken part in an ad campaign meant to raise awareness about the risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged males of African-American descent requested that his doctor screen him for the cancer. The patient