Keeping Yourself Healthy: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The law firm of Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban is recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Foundations such as the American Cancer Society, the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Susan G. Komen Foundation are organizing programs to help increase the word about breast cancer treatment and the importance of early detection.

Cancer treatment advocates are encouraging people to donate to worthy causes and participate in fundraisers. To get involved, find a walk or 5K in your area, give money online, patronize a bake sale, attend a gala or head your own fundraiser.

Most importantly – get examined! Women should get an annual exam from their gynecologist and women over 40 should get a yearly mammogram. Special precautions should be taken by high risk individuals and women with a history of breast cancer in the family.

Protect yourself against breast cancer medical malpractice

Tragically, countless women do not get the breast cancer treatment they desperately need and deserve because of medical negligence. Two common forms of cancer medical malpractice are delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. In these instances, the patient could have benefited from early detection but instead treatment was delayed or mishandled because a doctor failed to adequately address the signs and symptoms.

Delays in diagnosing breast cancer cases account for more medical malpractice lawsuits than any other disease or condition, according to a study by the Physician Insurers Association of America (PIAA). Younger women are particularly at risk for malpractice – 60% of the patients from the PIAA study were under 50 years old and 31% were under 40.

Protect yourself against doctor negligence and malpractice by taking treatment into your own hands:

• Get a yearly mammogram – Women 40 years of age and older should get a mammogram every year. Women at high risk should get an MRI as well.
• Go for a second opinion….and a third opinion – Even if you trust your medical professionals, seek outside opinions.
• Inquire about referrals – Ask experts and professionals in the field for treatment referrals.
• Do your research – Read medical journals, examine different hospitals and check out the records of various oncologists and specialists.
• Insist on a biopsy – If there is a suspicious lump, demand a biopsy of the area.

Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban represents medical malpractice victims in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Did you entrust your life with a medical professional who failed you? Contact us today at t (888) 351-1038 to learn how you can take legal action.