Prostate cancer misdiagnosis cases occur when a doctor has or should have the information necessary to make a diagnosis of prostate cancer and fails to do so. And while it typically is slow growing, prostate cancer misdiagnosis can result in serious complications, from urinary incontinence and sexual impotence, to death.

Prostate cancer misdiagnosis can occur many different ways. One example is when a doctor is monitoring a patient for prostate cancer, but fails to act on indications of cancer. Certain patients should be monitored for prostate cancer based on their age and risk factors (such as close family members with a history of prostate cancer). This typically occurs yearly with a routine PSA blood test. But if the test result indicates the possibility of cancer, it needs to be followed up on.

Other times, patients have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated for it. Many of those patients also must be monitored for cancer with PSA tests to check for recurrence of the disease. When PSA levels rise, the doctor may have a duty to act. While every rising PSA level must not automatically result in surgery to remove the prostate (prostatectomy) or other treatment, most if not all at minimum require a discussion with the patient about his options.

Prostate cancer misdiagnosis can also occur when a patient has signs and symptoms suggestive of a prostate issue and no testing is performed to investigate the cause. Signs and symptoms of prostate cancer include problems urinating, blood in the urine or semen, and erectile dysfunction, among others. When a patient complains of such symptoms, prostate cancer likely should be a diagnosis the doctor is considering. If she does not consider it, that may give rise to a claim. Alternatively, if she does consider it but takes no steps to either confirm the diagnosis or rule it out, that may also give rise to a claim.

Another possible prostate cancer misdiagnosis case can involve errors in processing a patient’s test results. Blood tests can be entered into the computer system incorrectly, or not at all. Samples can be lost, with no follow up. Even biopsy samples (tissue samples taken from the prostate) can be switched, so that the patient with prostate cancer is told he is cancer free, while the patient with no cancer undergoes invasive and unnecessary surgery.