According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 47,000 people get thyroid cancer each year. This is a serious health condition that requires prompt and accurate diagnosis for effective treatment.
If you have experienced a misdiagnosis of your thyroid cancer by your Kentucky doctor, it can be a frightening and confusing time. What are the implications of a misdiagnosis, and what can you do about it?
Signs and symptoms of thyroid cancer
Typically, thyroid cancer does not cause symptoms in its early stages. As it progresses, however, it may cause a lump you can feel through the skin on your neck, changes to your voice, difficulty swallowing, pain in your neck and throat or swollen lymph nodes in your neck. You should seek medical attention if you notice any of these signs.
Effects of a misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis refers to when a doctor inaccurately identifies a patient’s illness or fails to diagnose a present illness in time. In the context of thyroid cancer, a misdiagnosis might mean your doctor failed to recognize your symptoms as those of thyroid cancer.
This can result in delayed treatment, which may allow the cancer to progress, make the disease more difficult to treat and lead to a poorer prognosis. It can also lead to unnecessary treatments if your doctor incorrectly diagnosed you with a different condition.
Steps to take after a misdiagnosis
If you believe you have experienced a misdiagnosis, you need to seek a second opinion. Another doctor may be able to correctly diagnose your condition. If your new doctor confirms you have thyroid cancer, you should discuss the next steps for treatment right away.
You may also want to speak with a patient advocate or a medical professional about your initial misdiagnosis to understand what went wrong.