In the last few years, the importance of early screening for breast cancer has been called into question. This is partially due to a retrospective study from a few years ago that indicated improved outcomes are attributable to better treatment instead of earlier detection. However, a new study shows that early identification is probably very important for women in Ohio and elsewhere.
The study was also a retrospective one, and it looked at just over 80,000 women with a median age of 59 diagnosed with primary breast cancer between 1999 and 2005. Researchers also looked at data regarding over 93,000 women with a median age of 60 diagnosed between 2006 and 2012. It was determined that survival was much shorter among women with cancer involving lymph nodes.
Further, larger tumors also make it less likely that a patient will have a favorable outcome, and long-term survival rates are lower than for women who smaller and less invasive tumors. This led researchers to conclude that early detection is quite important and that current detection methods need to be improved if they are not able to correctly able to indicate breast cancer early on.
No matter what type of medical condition has, it is important that a doctor be able to diagnose and treat it appropriately. If a diagnosis is delayed or incorrect as a result of medical negligence, a patient’s condition is likely to worsen, and they may even develop additional illnesses. In some cases, lack of appropriate treatment may result in death. If someone or their family member has been harmed due to a wrong or late diagnosis, a lawyer could explain the options for legal recourse.