Over half of men are refusing treatment for prostate cancer because of inaccurate test results.
A scientific study carried out by the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute analysed the biopsy results of 848 men after their tumours had been surgically removed.
Of these, 415 men had been told they had a slow-growing tumour, something which would not ordinarily warrant treatment. Instead these patients would have been offered ‘active surveillance’, as the side-effects of surgery can be worse than living with a low-risk tumour.
However, the biopsy results revealed that 209 of these men actually had a fast-growing tumour, a prognosis which requires immediate treatment. A third of the men had aggressive cancer, meaning the tumour had spread beyond the prostate.
Therefore medical professionals are failing to distinguish between tumours that are life-threatening and tumours that may not cause any future problems.
Greg Shaw, who led the study, said: “This is a strong bit of evidence that we are letting our patients down at this initial diagnosis and in defining what sort of cancer they have.
“Our results show that the severity of up to half of men’s prostate cancers may be underestimated when relying on tests before they have surgery.”
Mr Shaw added that better tests are needed: “This highlights the urgent need for better tests to define how aggressive a cancer is from the outset, building on diagnostic tests like MRI scans, and new biopsy techniques which help to more accurately define the extent of the prostate cancer.
“This would then enable us to counsel patients with more certainty whether the prostate cancer identified is suitable for active surveillance or not.”
He also urged patients who opt for active surveillance to attend regular check-ups. This will ensure that treatment can be provided as soon as there is any change in the tumour.
Delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer
If your prostate cancer was not diagnosed in a timely fashion, despite the fact you sought medical attention for your symptoms, please get in touch with us today. You could be entitled to claim compensation for the damages incurred.
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