Delayed diagnosis of cancer is the leading culprit in the category of delayed diagnosis that we see in medical malpractice cases. When a doctor ignores the warning signs of cancer, or fails to order the correct tests, then the patient may lose their life or health as a result of medical malpractice. Early diagnosis of cancer is the key to survival for many forms of cancer. Delay in diagnosis is as a related form of diagnostic error. It is defined as a non-optimal interval of time between the onset of symptoms, identification, and initiation of treatment. Examples may be medication, lab work, physical therapy and the list goes on. (see The Joint Commissions’ Office of Quality and Safety)
