April is testicular cancer awareness month. Testicular cancer is most common in young men aged between 25 to 40. There are approximately 2,400 new cases every year in the UK. With an early diagnosis, patients can expect a high chance of survival. However, sometimes medical professionals can fail to provide the appropriate standard of care resulting in delayed or missed diagnosis which can sadly have devastating, life-changing consequences.
Understanding the warning signs, as well as what you should expect from medical professionals is hugely important, not just for your diagnosis, but in holding healthcare providers accountable when they don’t meet the standard of care.
Understanding the symptoms of testicular cancer:
The most common symptoms of testicular cancer include:
- Painless lumps or swelling in one testicle
- Changes in the size or shape of the testicle
- A ‘pulling’ sensation or feeling of weight in the scrotum causing scrotal heaviness
- A dull ache or sharp pain in the testicle or scrotum can also be a sign of testicular cancer.
Macmillan has a guide to help you understand how to check for testicular cancer and when to reach out for help.
How can medical negligence occur in cases of testicular cancer?
- Testicular cancer can sometimes be mistaken for cases of mumps, which is an infection that can cause swelling in localised areas.
- A diagnosis of epididymitis can be made instead of testicular cancer as this infection can also cause swelling and pain in the testicles.
- Sometimes testicular cancer can be mistaken for sexually transmitted diseases and as a result clinicians will not carry out further testing and the diagnosis can be missed or delayed.
If you are concerned that you may have testicular cancer, what usually happens is:
- Your GP examines you
- They refer you through the suspected cancer pathway
- You have blood tests and an ultrasound
- You are referred to urology
Unfortunately, when healthcare providers fail to recognise some, or all of these symptoms, patients can face delays in treatment resulting in a reduced prospect of survival. Testicular cancer has the ability to spread to a patient’s lymph nodes, lungs or other vital organs which can lead to a need for more invasive treatment and can impact on fertility.
When you might have a claim
A delayed or missed diagnosis of testicular cancer may be considered medical negligence where symptoms were not properly investigated, or where a patient was misdiagnosed and not referred for further testing.
It may also arise if there was an unreasonable delay in referral or diagnostic testing, particularly under urgent cancer pathways. The key issue is whether that delay resulted in harm which could have been avoided, or treated more quickly, had the diagnosis been made sooner.
How Bridge McFarland can help
At Bridge McFarland we understand that a cancer diagnosis can be daunting, worrying and scary, especially if a patient has been misdiagnosed or has suffered a delayed diagnosis. We have a specialist clinical negligence team who can provide expert advice and guidance if you or a loved one has experienced injury as a result of a delay in, or missed diagnosis, of testicular cancer. We can help you to raise a complaint about your care, or where possible, investigate a claim on your behalf.
Get the answers you deserve by calling our team today for a free, no obligation chat. Call us on 0800 987 8800. Alternatively, send us an email at medneg@bmcf.co.uk and one of our friendly team will get in touch with you.