Cancer Misdiagnosis
 Failure to diagnose, or misdiagnosis, is a common form of medical malpractice where a doctor has failed to take the proper steps to determine the nature of a medical problem. An undiagnosed patient frequently loses the opportunity for effective treatment. An unnecessary and premature death, or a serious, permanent impairment is the common consequence of a failure to diagnose.
A doctor is required to use his or her best judgment to determine the cause.of a patients complaints or abnormal findings. The patient is entitled to an expanded physical examination and, where necessary, laboratory testing or a referral to a specialist. Approximately 40 percent of medical malpractice claims are now based on a failure-to-diagnose or failure-to diagnose in a timely fashion, a medical problem.
The most common diseases for misdiagnosis (including delayed diagnosis and diagnostic errors) malpractice are:
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Colorectal cancer (including colon cancer and rectal cancer)
- Heart attack
- Appendicitis
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