(845) 802-0047Most cancers are treatable if you receive the proper medical care. While a negative medical outcome doesn’t necessarily mean negligence has occurred, a respected cancer malpractice attorney knows what to look for if a doctor or surgeon breaches the “standard of care.” Monetary compensation could be available if you file a lawsuit with help from an Albany bladder cancer malpractice lawyer.
Testing for Bladder Cancer
The most frequent symptom of bladder cancer is blood in their urine. The medical name for this condition is hematuria. When a person has hematuria, it is presumed to be caused by bladder cancer.
A cystoscopy is the primary diagnostic procedure doctors use to check for bladder cancer. A urologist performs this procedure by putting a scope inside the bladder to look for any cancerous growths. If the cystoscopy shows no abnormal growths within the bladder, this result rules out bladder cancer. If an abnormal growth is discovered inside the lining of the bladder, the surgeon should remove lymph nodes surrounding the bladder to determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Failure to thoroughly check lymph nodes could signal the need to contact a bladder cancer malpractice lawyer in Albany.
Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for developing bladder cancer. People who smoke are three times as likely to get bladder cancer as non-smokers. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 16 different types of cancer and there are as many as 59 carcinogenic elements in cigarette smoke. The number one thing anyone could do to avoid cancer – including of the bladder – is to stop smoking.
Preventing the Spread of Bladder Cancer
Cancer, most often spreads by getting into the lymphatic system and spreading to other organs in the body, which is why checking the lymph nodes is a good way to determine if – and where – the cancer has spread.
The primary treatment for bladder cancer is the surgical removal of the tumor. This may also include chemotherapy and radiation to kill cancerous cells. The goal of bladder cancer treatment is to remove the tumor before it spreads to other parts of the body.
If a surgeon removes a tumor but did not go further to ensure the cancer risk was over, a bladder cancer malpractice attorney in Albany can help the patient or patient’s family file a claim for damages.
Checking for Urethral Cancer
Urethral cancer is similar to cancer of the bladder. Urethral cancer typically appears in women as a lump or a mass in their genitalia. Ideally, when they have a lump or a mass, the treating doctor should refer them to a gynecologist, who will usually conduct a biopsy of the mass to determine if it is benign or malignant.
It is often difficult to determine this just based on visual observation. If the mass is malignant, imaging studies are ordered, and surgery is scheduled. Surgeons remove the mass and biopsy the nearby lymph nodes to determine if the cancer has spread.
Fight for Compensation with an Albany Bladder Cancer Malpractice Attorney
It is not enough for a medical professional to simply remove a tumor. A surgeon must also check to make sure the cancer has not spread to other areas of the body. If you or a family member has been diagnosed with bladder or urethral cancer, call an Albany bladder cancer malpractice lawyer to protect your rights.