If Stage 4 Prostate Cancer Is A Consequence Of Delay From Watchful Waiting Advice
A high or quickly rising PSA may indicate that a male patient has prostate cancer. Physicians thereby normally advocate that a patient with a high or quickly rising PSA undergo a biopsy.
You will find, however, 2 basic issues with a biopsy. First a biopsy checks only a part of the prostate. Therefore the a biopsy could yield a false negative , missing the cancer. Second, biopsies have risks, including the possibility of infection and the risk of severe bleeding.
Due to worries about these two issues appears to lead some doctors to advise that men with a high PSA pursue a program of “watchful waiting.” This is a method by which the doctor routinely monitors the man’s elevated PSA for months or even years. During this time certain doctors recommend that the man try non cancer related therapies, such as, for infection, based on the possibility that should the PSA is elevatedhigh for a reason other than prostate cancer such treatments might return the PSA back to normal levels.
The difficulty arises in that the doctor may wait too long without recommending a biopsy. As the PSA goes up the probability grows that the rising levels result from prostate cancer, as does the likelihood that the cancer has progress outside of the prostate gland leading to a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer.
Should a doctor, by suggesting that the male patient delay instead of immediately undergoing diagnostic testing, results in a scenario in which the cancer spreads and reaches an advanced stage, a cancer lawyer can help you decide whether you may have a medical negligence lawsuit against that physician.
The above is basically general information that is readily obtainable and is meant for basic educational purposes only. The above should not be taken as medical advice. Seek advice from with a physician if you have any health related problems and before accepting any medical advice. The above is also not legal advice. Consult with a lawyer about any potential legal concerns.
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