Colon Cancer - Medical Malpractice Lawyers

Our personal injury lawyers are currently reviewing claims for colon cancer medical malpractice and arranging representation for people from all around Canada. All of our colon cancer lawyers use a contingency fee arrangement to represent their clients in a colon cancer medical malpractice claim - if your lawyer doesn't achieve settlement then he doesn't get paid. You can rely on our specialist advocates to take care of your compensation claim in a comprehensive, helpful, sympathetic and professional manner. Our colon cancer medical malpractice lawyers will respect your confidentiality at all times and will explain legal issues clearly and without jargon. You will be advised at an early stage whether you have a reasonable claim, the likely value of that claim and what steps you should take to protect your legal rights. Your calls, faxes, e-mails and letters will be answered promptly and you will receive a complete professional service from lawyers who specialize in claiming compensation for personal injury caused as a result of a medical malpractice.

If you believe that you are the victim of medical malpractice then just use the helpline or complete the contact form or email our offices and a specialist medical malpractice lawyer will discuss your claim at no cost to you and with no obligation.

Risk Factors

This is the second most fatal carcinoma which almost always arises from a polyp which is often readily demonstrable for years that may bleed intermittently before an invasive and ultimately incurable cancer develops. Most medical malpractice colon cancer settlements are in relation to misdiagnosis due to a failure to properly evaluate complaints of rectal bleeding.

The following are considered to be risk factors for colon cancer :-

• high fat, high calorie and low fibre diets
• people over the age of 50.
• benign growths called polyps on the wall of the colon
• women with a history of cancer of the ovary, uterus or breast
• the condition known familial polyposis unless treated
• ulcerative colitis
• close relatives of a person who has had cancer of the colon

Clinical Testing

Various tests are used to establish the diagnosis of colon cancer including :-

• barium enema x-rays
• sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to remove tissue for examination
• blood tests.
• digital rectal examination may reveal abnormalities
• X-rays can reveal polyps or other changes
• biopsy which is the removal of a tissue sample for microscopic examination by a pathologist

Late Diagnosis

Colon cancer medical malpractice settlements usually result from late diagnosis amounting to clinical negligence which is defined as a departure from accepted standards of care which may cause harm to a patient and can include improper treatment, misdiagnosis, failure to treat, failure to perform appropriate follow-up, delay in treatment and prescription errors. Early diagnosis may mean less pain and suffering, less financial hardship and a greater chance of survival. If your condition was worsened by clinical negligence we can help you assert your rights and get the settlement that you need and deserve.

Colon Cancer Overview

Colon cancer involves cancer of the rectum or large intestine. It begins as a benign polyp in the colon that begins to overgrow and turn cancerous. It takes several years before a polyp becomes a cancer; such polyps are known as adenomatous polyps. Not all adenomatous polyps turn into cancer but a few do so they should be removed as a precaution during a colonoscopy procedure. A colonoscopy is a camera study of the colon that both prevents colon cancer and removes early cancerous polyps.

There are several symptoms of colon cancer. These include having a change in bowel habits such as constipation and diarrhoea that persists for several weeks or longer. Blood can show up in the stool or you can have black, tarry stools, depending on the location of the cancer and the amount of bleeding. There can be the feeling of incomplete emptying of the colon when defecating and you can notice weight loss without really trying. Symptoms can be absent in the early stages. If you have a family history of cancer or if you have some early symptoms, you should seek medical advice.

Your risk for colon cancer goes up if you have flat or polypoid (finger-like) polyps in the colon. There are genetic mutations that trigger a familial type of colon cancer and that cause you to have colon cancer at a younger age. The two main syndromes are familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome or Lynch syndrome. The first involves having many polyps and a high degree of colon cancer before the age of 40. Lynch syndrome is a non-polyposis syndrome that causes an increase in colon cancer risk before the age of 50. Both are hereditary forms of colon cancer risk. Lynch syndrome can contribute to other types of cancer as well.

Risk factors for colon cancer include older age (greater than 50), family history, being of African-American descent or having history of colon polyps. If you have any of these risks, you should be screened for colon cancer-sometimes before the recommended age of 50 years. High fat, low fibre diets contribute to getting colon cancer as is being diabetic, having a sedentary lifestyle or being obese. Smoking and use of alcohol can increase the risk of colon cancer. Radiation to the stomach area for another cancer makes your risk of colon cancer higher.

Tests for colon cancer include a colonoscopy exam. This is a camera study of the colon that is done after the colon is cleaned out. Polyps can be removed and biopsied and cancers can be seen on camera study. Other tests include the FIT test, which looks for human blood on a stool sample. An FOBT test is a test for blood on a stool sample that is less specific than a FIT test. Other tests include a flexible sigmoidoscopy, which evaluates the lower colon, and a virtual colonoscopy, which uses a CT scan and dye to outline any possible polyps that might be present on a colon wall.

There are five stages of colon cancer. Stage 0 cancer is cancer located only in the polyp and does not pass the lining of the colon. Stage I cancer means the cancer has grown into the mucosa but is not beyond the wall of the colon. Stage II cancer is when cancer has spread past the wall of the colon. Stage III involves lymph node involvement. Stage IV is metastatic colon cancer that has spread to the other body areas, such as the liver or the lung.

Treatment of colon cancer includes surgical excision of the cancer and the involved lymph nodes. The colon ends can be reattached or the person can have an ostomy for a period of time. The ends are reattached at a later date. Chemotherapy works for colon cancer, especially if it is metastatic and radiation therapy is used to kill of excess cancer cells or for single metastases. There are new targeted therapies for colon cancer cells that include Avastin, Vectibix and Erbitux.

Colon Cancer Lawyers

Our medical malpractice lawyers deal with Colon Cancer negligence cases. If you would like legal advice at no cost and with no further obligation just call the helpline or complete the contact form or email our lawyers offices. Our Colon Cancer lawyers usually deal with personal injury compensation cases on a contingency basis which means that you only pay legal fees if the case is won.

The author of the substantive medical writing on this website is Dr. Christine Traxler MD whose biography can be read here