Bladder cancer is a cancer of the urinary bladder that starts when cells grow out of control and form tumors that can either be benign or malignant. The bladder is where urine is stored before it is removed through the urethra. The most common type of bladder cancer is called urothelial carcinoma. It starts in urothelial cells that line the innermost layer of the bladder, the renal pelvis, ureters, and urethra.
Almost all cases of bladder cancer are urothelial carcinoma, but the following rare types may also occur:
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that 80,000 cases of this cancer will be diagnosed in 2024, resulting in around 16,000 deaths. This cancer occurs 4 times more in men than women, usually at the age of 55 and above.
Bladder cancer can cause the following symptoms:
There is no standard screening protocol for bladder cancer. But if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you should immediately seek medical intervention. There are tests available to diagnose bladder cancer such as urinalysis, and cystoscopy. These tests are often done by a specialist called a urologist. Your doctor should refer you to one if bladder cancer is suspected, especially if you have any of the risk factors.
Working with some chemicals can increase the risk of bladder cancer. You should immediately consult your doctor if you work in the following industries and experience any of the symptoms of bladder cancer:
Diabetics who take the prescription drug pioglitazone also have an increased risk for bladder cancer. But having any of these symptoms does not automatically mean you have cancer. They are also often caused by urinary tract infections, kidney stones, or benign tumors in unfortunate locations. Still, it is wise to seek immediate medical attention.
The ACS estimates the 5-year survival rates for bladder cancer using the SEER database. They are categorized as localized, regional, or distant. At the localized stage, when the cancer is still confined to the bladder, a 71% survival rate can be expected. This drops down to 39% at the regional stage when cancer spreads to nearby structures and lymph nodes. If cancer reaches the distant stage and spreads to other organs, survival rates decline further to 8%.
Seek a medical malpractice attorney for legal advice if you’ve been misdiagnosed or diagnosed late by your doctor. Doctors have state-of-the-art tools to diagnose bladder cancer at the early stages. But there are still cases where they either fail to order the appropriate tests, fail to read the results, or fail to misinterpret them. This may delay treatments, causing the need for more intense methods like radical cystectomy, which involves removing the bladder. Or even a urostomy, which is a tube made out of intestines that diverts urine to a pouch outside the body. This is permanent and severely affects the quality of life.
If you or a loved one have been misdiagnosed or diagnosed late with bladder cancer in New York, call the Porter Law Group for a free case evaluation. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers and board-certified medical experts can examine your medical records and test results to see if your bladder cancer should have been caught sooner. We can get you financial compensation for your pain, suffering, and medical bills.
Patients may be eligible to sue medical staff if their bladder cancer is diagnosed late. However, not all cases of delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis are medical malpractice. You need to show that there was a doctor-patient relationship, that your doctor deviated from the expected standard of care for patients with similar conditions. And that this was the proximate cause of your injury. You will need a medical expert to examine your records and testify for you, should this be the case.
The Porter Law Group works with experts in the medical field who can look into your bladder cancer diagnosis and medical records to see if you’ve been a victim of your doctor’s negligence. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers have recovered millions of dollars* for patients whose cancer was diagnosed late or misdiagnosed in the State of New York.
Medical negligence cases are complex, especially in New York. You have to deal with the daunting documentary and filing requirements and be aware of the statute of limitations within which you are allowed to file your claim. Going through cancer treatment is difficult enough. You don’t need to do this on your own. Call the Porter Law Group today for a free case evaluation. If you were a victim of medical malpractice, we can assure you that we will do our utmost to give you and your family the compensation you deserve.
Contact us at 833-PORTER9, or e-mail us at info@porterlawteam.com to discuss the details of our experience representing other clients and the results we were able to obtain in the past for clients who also suffered from cancer. In many ways, our results speak for themselves, and we will stand ready to help you and your family in your time of greatest need.
Settlement – Prostate Cancer
44-year-old man diagnosed with incurable Stage IV prostate cancer due to physician's failure to order appropriate screening tests.
Confidential Settlement Reached Prior to Trial
Confidential Settlement Reached Prior to Trial
Confidential Settlement Reached Prior to Trial
