World Lung Cancer Day, which is observed on August 1, is a serious reminder to be alert to the early warning signs of the disease. The disease is known to kill 50% of those diagnosed, the Mirror reported
Medical negligence lawyer Kim Jackson from Patient Claim Line has given important advice to Britons about recognizing the symptoms of lung cancer and what to do if your GP misses the warning signs. Kim explained that "red flag symptoms include a persistent cough that may worsen, coughing up blood, and chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing."
“Loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and fatigue are also major signs of lung cancer. Be on the lookout for wheezing, shortness of breath, new onset of wheezing, and infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that are persistent. If you visit your GP with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer, they should examine you and ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures how much air you breathe in and out,” the lawyer advised.
“A blood test may be requested to rule out some of the possible causes of the symptoms. The main test for diagnosing lung cancer is a chest X-ray. Computed thermography will also be recommended, as will a PET-CT scan. More than half diagnosed with lung cancer die within a year of diagnosis, even with treatment. The earlier lung cancer is detected, the better your chance of survival. However, it all depends on the stage of the cancer and the overall health of the person," Jackson said.
What are my rights if my lung cancer diagnosis is late?
"The person has three years from the date of learning the diagnosis to file a claim before the court. To establish negligence, the person must prove that there was a breach of the duty of care and that a causal relationship arose as a result ie. the person suffered harm as a direct result of negligence,” Jackson stated.
“It can be difficult to win a cancer negligence claim, especially when proving causation. It can be proven that even if there had been a delay in diagnosing the cancer, the outcome would not have been different in any case,” he added. | BGNES
