Red Flag Symptoms of Bowel Cancer Missed
If the symptoms of bowel cancer were missed by medical practitioners, meaning your diagnosis and treatment was delayed, you could be the victim of medical negligence. Please contact us at Glynns Solicitors to find out more.
Red flag symptoms of bowel cancer
There are certain symptoms that should prompt medical practitioners to send a patient for bowel cancer tests. These are called 'red flag symptoms' and include:
- Abdominal pain
- Feeling tired and weak
- Diarrhoea
- Rectal bleeding/blood in stools
Any patient who presents with these symptoms should be referred to hospital for a colonoscopy. This is when a camera is inserted into the bowel via the rectum. Medical practitioners can then see whether there are any abnormal growths.
Failing to act on the red flag symptoms
Sadly, however, many GPs fail to act upon the red flag symptoms of bowel cancer. Some have to visit their doctor numerous times before being referred for a colonoscopy, while others will only be diagnosed after presenting to hospital as an emergency.
This is evidenced by a recent study published in the British Journal of Cancer. Researchers found that 35% of colon cancers in England were only diagnosed after an emergency presentation. Of these, 17.5% were displaying the red flag symptoms of bowel cancer, and 16% had been to their GP three times or more complaining of their symptoms.
Consequences of missed bowel cancer
The consequences of a delay diagnosis can be very grave. Bowel cancer, like all cancers, is easier to treat in the early stages. The tumour will be smaller and will not have spread to other parts of the body (called metastases). This means that the treatment will be less invasive and more likely to be effective, giving the patient a greater chance of survival.
If bowel cancer is not diagnosed, despite the patient displaying the red flag symptoms, the tumour will be left to grow. When a diagnosis is finally made, the patient may require extensive surgery and chemotherapy/radiotherapy. It may also be that the tumour has spread, reducing the patient's life expectancy.
On the balance of probabilities, had a patient been diagnosed and treated earlier, these consequences could have been avoided.
Has this happened to you?
If doctors failed to diagnose your bowel cancer, or that of your loved one, there could be a case of medical negligence. A competent medical practitioner would act upon the red flag symptoms of bowel cancer, leading to a timely diagnosis and treatment. A failure to achieve this standard of care could be deemed negligent. Get in touch with us to find out if you are entitled to pursue a claim.
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