John Whelan Solicitor with specialist expertise in Lung Cancer Medical Negligence gives a case example of an Improper Treatment Plan
Case Example: Improper Treatment Plan for Stage II Lung Cancer
Patient Background:
A Patient, with a history of smoking, presents with a persistent cough and occasional chest discomfort. The Patient undergoes a chest Xray and CT scan, revealing a 3 cm mass in the right lower lobe of the lung, without evidence of lymph node involvement or metastasis.
A biopsy confirms the diagnosis of stage IIA non-small cell lung cancer, which is localised to the lung, making the Patient a candidate for curative surgery. Given overall good health and the early stage cancer, surgery is typically considered the standard of care.
Improper Treatment Plan:
The Patient’s GP, who is not a lung cancer specialist, decides to manage the Patient’s care independently rather than referring the Patient to a thoracic surgeon or oncologist. Based on limited experience and the Patient's reluctance for invasive procedures, the GP recommends radiation therapy alone, without surgery, as the primary treatment option.
The Patient is treated with a course of radiation therapy over several weeks, and the tumour initially appears to shrink. However, follow up imaging six months later shows that the cancer has recurred and spread to the lymph nodes (now stage IIIA). At this point, the Patient is referred to a thoracic surgeon, who explains that surgery is no longer feasible due to the progression of the disease.
The Patient is then started on chemotherapy and additional radiation, but the opportunity for curative surgery has been lost. The prognosis is now significantly worse due to the advanced stage of the cancer.
Issues:
Failure to Follow Standard Treatment Guidelines.
Lack of Referral to Specialists.
Inappropriate Use of Radiation Therapy.
Important Points from the Case:
Importance of Specialist Referral:
Standard of Care for Early Stage Lung Cancer:
Impact of Delayed or Improper Treatment:
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