LUNG CANCER MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE DELAY IN ORDERING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

John Whelan Solicitor with specialist expertise in Lung Cancer Medical Negligence gives a case example of a delay in ordering diagnostic tests.  

Case Example: Delay in Ordering Diagnostic Tests for Lung Cancer

Patient Background:

A Patient with no significant medical history except for mild asthma and occasional cough, presents to the Patient’s GP with a persistent cough lasting three months.  The Patient also reports unexplained weight loss of 5kg over the past few months and fatigue. The Patient is a former heavy smoker.

Initial Evaluation:

a) The GP diagnoses the patient with chronic bronchitis, likely related to past smoking, and prescribes bronchodilators and cough suppressants.

b) No imaging or further diagnostic tests are ordered at this time, as the symptoms are attributed to smoking related lung changes and asthma.

c) The Patient is advised to return in six weeks if the symptoms do not improve.

Progression:

Six weeks later, the Patient returns with worsening symptoms, including shortness of breath and chest discomfort. The cough has persisted, and the Patient reports feeling increasingly fatigued and weak.

At this point, the GP orders a chest Xray, which reveals a suspicious lesion in the right lung. A subsequent CT scan shows a mass with mediastinal lymph node enlargement, raising concern for lung cancer. A biopsy confirms stage III non small cell lung cancer.

Delay:

The delay in ordering a chest Xray or CT scan during the initial visit, despite the Patient's smoking history and concerning symptoms (persistent cough, weight loss, and fatigue), led to the diagnosis of lung cancer at an advanced stage. If imaging and further diagnostic tests had been ordered at the first visit, the cancer may have been diagnosed at an earlier stage, when it was more treatable.

Important points from the Case:

a) Failure to Recognise Red Flags.

b) Inadequate Risk Stratification.

c) Delayed Diagnostic Testing

What should have occurred

a) Early Imaging in High Risk Patients.

b) Consideration of Cancer in Differential Diagnosis:

c) Close Monitoring.

In this case, the delay in ordering a chest Xray or CT scan resulted in diagnosing lung cancer at an advanced stage, reducing the patient’s treatment options and prognosis. Early imaging could have detected the cancer at an earlier stage, potentially improving the outcome.

For more detailed insights into how the Patient Safety Act 2023 impacts you and how Whelan Law can support you, please visit our Lung Cancer Medical Negligence https://www.whelanlaw.ie/news/rising-lung-cancer-medical-negligence-claims-a-reflection-of-modern-medicine/