New Jersey Ovarian Cancer Misdiagnosis Attorneys

Failure to Diagnose Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the ovary (one of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed). Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas (cancer that begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary) or malignant germ cell tumors (cancer that begins in egg cells). The National Cancer Institute estimates that there will be over 21,000 new cases of ovarian cancer in the United States in 2009 and that more than 14,000 women will die from the disease in that same year.

Ovarian cancer is sometimes difficult to diagnose at its earliest stage. It can develop without symptoms for an extended period of time, and, when it is finally discovered it has often metastasized to other organs. With early diagnosis challenging, it is incumbent on the physician to diligently screen patients for this disease. Women with a strong pre-disposition to cancer in their family should be considered high-risk, and, should have periodic transvaginal ultrasounds or MRIs to increase the potential for early detection.

In June 2007, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, in cooperation with other cancer foundations announced a new protocol for the early detection of ovarian cancer. The protocol has widely been accepted as the new standard of care for ovarian cancer detection. It involves early physical manifestations of a problem in women. The symptoms, which persist for two to three weeks, include:

• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating
• Feeling of being full easily
• Bloating not associated with the menstrual cycle
• Frequent need to urinate

These early warning symptoms, coupled with a strong family history of cancer should be enough for a woman’s physician to order a transvaginal ultrasound, MRI, and blood work (such as CA-125 assay) to test for cancer. As with all cancers, early detection of the disease increases survival rates, and, due to ovarian cancer’s tendency to be asymptomatic until it has progressed to lethal stages, performing these tests on a timely basis become even more important.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and, you feel your doctor may have been negligent in making an early diagnosis, despite complaints of some of the symptoms described above, it is important to contact an experienced ovarian cancer misdiagnosis attorney as soon as possible to discuss your rights. New Jersey ovarian cancer misdiagnosis lawyers will know what questions to ask, and, can consult staff and independent medical professionals to examine your history, records and x-rays to determine if mistakes have been made. Contact the failure to diagnose ovarian cancer attorneys today for a free consultation of your case.