Yes, patients can sue for a medical malpractice case if they receive a late diagnosis of basal cell skin cancer as a result of medical misconduct. Filing a lawsuit can cover the following for the victims’ and their families:
- Monetary compensation for the patient’s suffering,
- Lost earnings,
- Medical costs, and
- To hold healthcare professionals responsible for their conduct.
When skin cancer is discovered early enough, there is a good chance of survival because most skin cancer forms are treatable. However, if a doctor misdiagnoses the disease and delays the correct treatment for an extended period, some skin cancer can spread quickly to other regions of the body.
In the US alone, an estimated 3.6 million cases are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma yearly. This high number of cases is concerning for the general population.
No one should suffer the experience of being diagnosed late with basal cell skin cancer due to negligence. Let our medical malpractice experts lend a helping hand in managing your claim and handling your case.
Was Your Basal Cell Skin Cancer Diagnosed Late?
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Stages of Basal Cell Skin Cancer and its Symptoms
The stages are 0 to 4, with higher numbers denoting more severe variants of cancer. Most cancer experts use the scale shown below:
| Stage of Skin Cancer | Medical Description |
| Stage 0 | Cancer is present only in the epidermis, not spread to deeper layers or lymph nodes. |
| Stage 1 | Skin cancer smaller than 2cm, not spread to lymph nodes or organs, but may have one high-risk factor. |
| Stage 2 | Larger than 2cm, not spread to lymph nodes or organs, but have two or more high-risk factors. |
| Stage 3 | Cancers have spread to local lymph nodes or facial bones but not to other organs. |
| Stage 4 | Cancers have spread to several lymph nodes, bones, or other organs, regardless of size. |
The increasing phases depict the consequences of skin cancer if it is not identified early. The longer a diagnosis is put off or mishandled, the more it will hurt the patient and eventually make it difficult to continue or undertake new treatment.
It’s crucial to recognize early symptoms of cancer to stop the disease from progressing. Especially since skin growths or blemishes caused by basal cell carcinoma may take longer to cure than anticipated (approximately two months). These anomalies might manifest as:
- Shiny or translucent pearly bump
- Small, flat, firm growth in pink, red, blue, brown, or black
- White, waxy, scar-like patch
- Dome-shaped lesion with a depressed center
- Raised growth with visible blood vessels
Furthermore, you may see that a lesion seems to be mending only to return, break down, and begin bleeding readily once more. This ongoing healing cycle may indicate that basal cell cancer is present.
Treatment Options and Expenses
If you’ve been diagnosed with a small or early basal cell skin cancer, your physician will remove the cancer through these common cancer therapy options:
| Treatment Method | Process |
| Electrodessication and curettage | Scraping off the cancer with a curette, then burning the base with an electric needle. May be repeated for complete removal. |
| Surgery | Excision (removing cancer with a margin of healthy skin) or Mohs surgery (precise removal in layers, examining each under a microscope). |
| Cryotherapy | Freeze the cancer with liquid nitrogen, then remove the frozen tissue. Used for small, superficial cancers. |
| Chemotherapy | Pills or injections to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Topical creams may be used for superficial cancers. |
| Photodynamic therapy (PDT) | Applying a light-sensitive agent, then exposing the area to blue light to destroy cancer cells. Used for superficial cancers, especially on the face. |
| Laser therapy | Using high-energy laser beams to vaporize or remove cancerous tissue. Results in less scarring compared to surgery. |
The type of therapy that is best for the patient and the locations where the skin cancer grows determines the treatment expenses for a patient with basal cell skin cancer. The following latest data may help you understand how much it costs for various kinds of therapy:
| Therapy | Skin Areas | Cost Range |
| Curettage and Electrodesiccation (C&E) | Area M (cheeks, forehead, scalp, neck, jawline, pretibial surface) | $143 |
| Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) and Simple Reconstruction | Area M | $1,221 |
| Cryosurgery | Area M Area L (trunk and extremities, excluding pretibial surface, hands, feet, nail units, and ankles) or in Area M based on size | $143 $183 |
| Radiation | Not specified | $465–$3,311 |
| Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) | Area L | $354–$371 |
| Vismodegib | Not specified | $139,560 |
| Sonidegib | Not specified | $144,452 |
| Cisplatin | Not specified | ~$44.50 |
| Cemiplimab-rwlc | Not specified | At least $184,836 |
Anyone afflicted with cancer finds it stressful, considering the complexity of the operations and their high cost. Patients and their families can avoid experiencing emotional and financial challenges by receiving early detection and treatment.
If your loved one has been misdiagnosed late with cancer, our skilled lawyers can help them with the legal process, assist them in getting the compensation they are entitled to, and obtain the fairness they deserve.
Looking for Medical Compensation for Skin Cancer?
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Establishing a Claim for Compensation
To establish a claim due to a late medical diagnosis or an erroneous diagnosis, you will need to prove these elements:
| Duty of Care – Was there an appropriate doctor-patient relationship? |
| Breach of Duty – Did your doctor perform poorly/negligently based on accepted standards of care? |
| Causation – Did your doctor’s actions/inactions directly cause you harm? |
| Damages – What did these errors cost you? |
Our attorneys can help you gather evidence, consult medical experts, and build a strong compensation case.
Speak to a Skin Cancer Lawyer Today
At the Porter Law Group, our team of proven medical malpractice lawyers delivers ideal results. We take pride in helping families rebuild after unfavorable circumstances.
We operate on a contingency basis – meaning you do not need to pay us anything unless we win your case. Through this approach, we can better support families during their times of need.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of medical malpractice, please reach out to us for a non-obligatory free case evaluation. You can also contact us at 833-PORTER9 or info@porterlawteam.com to schedule a consultation.
