One in Four Biopsy Results Could be Incorrect

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Medical Malpractice

For many women, having their annual or bi-annual mammogram done and waiting for the results can be somewhat stressful. That stress often turns into fear when the tests show that there is the possibility of the presence of breast cancer. This diagnosis followed by a biopsy to determine whether or not there is cancer present. However, a new study has concluded that many of these biopsy results are actually inaccurate. Those inaccurate diagnoses, which are used to determine what course of treatment should be given, could potentially be causing patients to undergo unnecessary treatments, causing other medical issues.

There are three different types of biopsies which are used by doctors to determine if a patient has breast cancer. When a doctor suspects that a breast lump is filled with fluid, they will usually perform a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. If the lump is only a cyst, then it will typically collapse as the fluid is removed by the needle.

The second type is a core-needle biopsy. In this procedure, the core needle is hollow and it is used to remove tissue from the breast. The patient is fully awake, and a local anesthesia is used on the breast to numb it. The third type, a surgical biopsy, involves placing the patient under anesthesia and removing the lump and some of the tissue surrounding it.

In each type of biopsy, the fluid and/or tissue that has been extracted through the biopsy is sent to a pathologist, who examines it to determine whether or not there is cancer present. If cancer is found, the pathologist must determine the level of progression. The type and stage of cancer a person has is what will establish the treatment and potential prognosis.

There are approximately 1.6 million breast biopsies performed every year in this country. However, according to this new study, about 25 percent are misdiagnosed as false positives, leading to unnecessary treatments and expensive medical bills, missed time from work, as well as unnecessary emotional distress. On a positive note, the study did find that pathologists are very accurate when it comes to determining patients who actually have invasive cancer cells present, which can be fatal if not treated quickly.

If you have been misdiagnosed by a doctor and have suffered injury or illness from that misdiagnosis, contact an experienced Cook County injury attorney to determine what legal recourse you may have.