Albany Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) Failure to Diagnose Lawyer

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is a serious type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system, which helps fight infections and maintain fluid balance in the body. This disease usually begins in the lymph nodes, which are located in the neck, under the arms, in the groin, in the abdomen, and between the lungs. However, the disease can spread to other parts of the body, including the bone marrow and spleen.

Hodgkin Lymphoma is usually easier for medical professionals to diagnose because its cancer cells grow larger than those involved in Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Hodgkin Lymphoma may present with Reed-Sternberg cells, large, abnormal lymphocytes that may contain more than one nucleus. Doctors can also more easily detect them when examining the lymph nodes.

Additionally, Hodgkin Lymphoma follows a predictable pattern as it spreads throughout the body, usually originating in the lymph nodes of the neck, chest, and arms, then travelling to other areas of the body with a concentration of lymph nodes. 

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma grows in white blood cells and can form in the lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is distinct from Hodgkin Lymphoma because it consists of different subtypes with varying levels of aggressiveness and progression. The disease is classified into two different subtypes based on how cancer cells grow and spread, known as aggressive and indolent.

Aggressive forms of this cancer spread quickly and typically require immediate treatment. These forms include:

• Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma – This is the most aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, comprising approximately 30% of all cases. This form of cancer can spread rapidly to other organs outside the lymphatic system if it is not treated promptly.
• Burkitt Lymphoma – This is a highly aggressive subtype that progresses rapidly. Some patients have had success treating it with intensive chemotherapy when it is diagnosed early.
• Mantle Cell Lymphoma – This is a rare type of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, which is why it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Because it is fast-growing, it can spread rapidly if it is not diagnosed sooner.

Indolent is a slow-growing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Some of these forms of the disease may not show symptoms for years. Some forms of indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma include the following:

• Follicular Lymphoma – This is the most common form of indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Some patients experience delays in treatment until symptoms worsen and become more apparent.
• Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma – This form of the disease mainly affects the lymph nodes and bone marrow.
• Marginal Zone Lymphoma – This form of Lymphoma may be linked to autoimmune disorders and chronic infections.

It’s crucial that doctors be able to accurately distinguish between the different types of Lymphoma. Otherwise, patients can suffer due to missed opportunities for early intervention, inappropriate treatments for the stage of the disease, and delays in medical care.

The Harm of a Misdiagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

If you are diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma when you don’t actually have this serious cancer, you can be subject to unnecessary, invasive, and expensive medical treatments. At the same time, you won’t be receiving the medical treatments that you need for the condition you actually have.

If you have Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and your healthcare provider fails to diagnose you, you could be missing out on life-saving medical treatments. The disease can progress, and you can be subject to reduced survival rates. The cancer can spread throughout your body and cause additional medical complications if your treatment is delayed due to a diagnostic error.

In addition to the emotional distress caused by a delayed diagnosis, patients may face financial obstacles due to expensive medical bills, lost income, and other hurdles.  

How Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Is Diagnosed

Lymphoma can sometimes be difficult to diagnose based solely on physical observations. Some lymph nodes are well below the body’s surface, so they may not be noticeable to doctors or patients without proper tests.  Medical professionals often use a variety of diagnostic tools to accurately determine that someone has Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, including the following:

• Imaging scans, including CT, MRI, and PET scans
• Blood tests
• Bone marrow tests
• Lymph node biopsies
• Physical examinations

The specific symptoms that a person experiences depend on the type of Lymphoma they have and the location of the cancer. Common symptoms associated with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma include the following:

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Night sweats or chills 
• Unexplained weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal pain or swelling 
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing 
• Headaches
• Pain in the chest, abdomen, or bones
• Frequent infections
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Skin rash or itchy skin

These symptoms are sometimes mistaken for less serious medical conditions, such as infections or autoimmune disorders. These same symptoms are associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, mononucleosis, or a viral infection.

Why Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Is Misdiagnosed

 Patients reasonably expect doctors to use their knowledge, skill, and experience to accurately diagnose them.

Fail to Recognize Symptoms

​​Doctors may miss some of the most common symptoms of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or attribute them to other medical conditions. 

Dismiss Patient Concerns

Doctors may dismiss patient concerns and think that they are exaggerating or misdirected. They may not have enough time to spend with each patient, resorting to reaching the most likely conclusion instead of the right one. Other times, doctors may think the symptoms are only temporary and adopt a “wait and see” approach, which can be deadly in some circumstances.

Fail to Order Appropriate Tests

Because symptoms of Lymphoma can resemble symptoms of less severe conditions, doctors should order appropriate tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes, a doctor may not order a biopsy or an imaging scan that could have otherwise revealed the diagnosis.

Make Testing Mistakes

Hospital staff members may mix up test results, doctors or radiologists may misinterpret them, or medical staff may perform a test incorrectly, which can delay diagnosis.

Some ways that healthcare providers can misinterpret diagnostic tests include the following:

• Ruling out cancer prematurely based solely on a CT or MRI scan that failed to detect lymphoma
• Misidentifying the type of cells in a biopsy can lead to an incorrect diagnosis
• Making an incomplete bloodwork analysis, such as not testing for elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, which can indicate Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Diagnostic testing errors can delay treatment and result in patients receiving unnecessary and ineffective treatments for conditions they are misdiagnosed with. 

Delays in Referrals to Specialists  

Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma are complex diseases that require medical professionals experienced in their management. Patients should be promptly referred to specialists, such as oncologists or hematologists, for proper medical treatment and testing. Without these referrals, the condition can progress rapidly and reduce survival rates or signify the difference between early intervention and a disease that is more difficult to treat. 

How to Determine When Medical Malpractice Occurred

Just because you received disheartening news about a cancer diagnosis does not necessarily mean that medical malpractice occurred. Medical malpractice is a specialized area of the law. A patient can file a medical malpractice case for a Lymphoma diagnosis when they can show the following:

• They had a doctor/patient relationship with the defendant: They must have been seeking medical care from the healthcare professional in question, not just receiving casual medical advice.
• The healthcare provider violated the standard of care: The standard of care is the medical treatment that another healthcare provider with similar training and specialty would provide under similar circumstances. This is typically something the defendant doctor did or failed to do, such as not ordering necessary tests, misinterpreting test results, or failing to recognize symptoms.
• The deviation from the standard of care injured you: You must be able to show that the doctor’s mistake caused injury, such as disease progression, loss of treatment opportunities, or unnecessary treatments. 
• You suffered damages as a result of the misdiagnosis: You must be able to show that you suffered damages due to the misdiagnosis, such as additional medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering.  

Financial Compensation You Can Recover 

A misdiagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma can have devastating consequences, including delayed treatment, worsened health outcomes, or being subject to unnecessary and invasive medical procedures. Injured patients have a right to file a legal claim to seek compensation for the damages they’ve incurred due to medical malpractice, including:

• Past and future medical bills
• Ongoing medical treatment
• Lost wages from time missed from work
• Reduced earning capacity due to permanent disabilities
• Pain and suffering 
• Mental anguish 
• Loss of enjoyment of life 

If the misdiagnosis led to your loved one’s death, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim to seek compensation for the following:

• Your loved one’s final medical expenses 
• Lost future financial support if your loved one contributed to your household
• Loss of household contributions 
• Funeral expenses and burial costs
• Your loved one’s pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium

The experienced medical malpractice and personal injury attorneys at Powers & Santola, LLP have secured hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. We hold negligent healthcare providers accountable when they fail to diagnose patients accurately. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights and the viability of a medical malpractice claim.