What is Kidney Cancer?
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells of the kidneys. There are around 80,000 cases of kidney cancer diagnosed every year in the US, with 14,000 deaths annually, according to the American Cancer Society. It is usually found in older people, with the average age of diagnosis at 64 years old.
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that remove wastes from the bloodstream. The most common type of kidney cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which makes up about 90% of all diagnosed cases.
But there are also other types of kidney cancers and even benign tumors that can grow in the kidney. Treatment options may vary for each of them, but they can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy.
Kidney cancer can cause symptoms like:
- Anemia
- Bleeding
- Fatigue
- Fevers
- Lower back pain
Imaging tests like CT scans and MRIs, urine tests can be used to diagnose kidney cancer early.
The American Cancer Society uses the SEER database to estimate the 5-year relative survival rates for kidney cancer and classifies them according to the localized, regional, and distant stages. There is a 93% survival rate for localized kidney cancer. It drops to 74% in the regional stage when cancer spreads outside the kidney to nearby structures, and to only 17% when it spreads to other organs.
Lawyers who help Patients who are Misdiagnosed or Diagnosed Late with Kidney Cancer
There are state-of-the-art tests available to doctors that can help them find and treat kidney cancer early. But there are still cases where they either fail to order the appropriate tests, fail to read the results or fail to interpret the results correctly.
This sort of medical malpractice can have devastating effects. Instead of being diagnosed early, when treatment can work, cancerous tumors are allowed to grow and spread for months or even years.
As the cancer advances, the treatments required will be more severe. It may even result in the need to remove one or both kidneys and undergo frequent dialysis while waiting for an organ donor. This can be prevented with early detection and treatment.
If you or a loved one have been misdiagnosed or diagnosed late with kidney cancer in the State of New York, call the Porter Law Group. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers and board-certified medical experts can help you evaluate your case for free.
Can You Sue for Medical Malpractice for a Late Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer?
You can, but not all cases of misdiagnosis or late diagnosis can be considered medical malpractice. It is not enough to show that you’ve been injured to receive compensation for medical negligence.
You need to establish that there was a doctor-patient relationship, that there was a deviation from the expected standard of care for patients with similar conditions. And that this deviation was the proximate cause of your injury.
Medical negligence cases are complex, especially in the State of New York. You need to navigate the daunting documentary and filing requirements, as well as be aware of the statute of limitations for filing your claims. But you don’t have to do it alone. The Porter Law Group is at your service.
Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers at the Porter Law Group have secured millions of dollars* for patients whose cancer was misdiagnosed, or diagnosed late in the State of New York. We can recover compensation for you if your doctors failed to adhere to the expected standard of care for your condition, resulting in further injury.
We also have longstanding relationships with board-certified medical experts who can evaluate your case. They can testify on your behalf that your doctor’s actions, or inaction are to blame for your pain, suffering, and increased medical expenses.
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.
