World Lung Cancer Day, observed on Thursday, August 1, serves as a timely reminder to be aware of the early signs of a disease that claims the lives of half of those diagnosed with it.
Kim Jackson, a medical negligence solicitor from Patient Claim Line, has provided advice on how Brits can identify symptoms of lung cancer and what steps to take if your doctor overlooks these symptoms.
What are the warning signs of lung cancer?
Kim said: “Red flag symptoms include a persistent cough that can deteriorate, coughing up blood and chest pain that is worse with deep breathing, coughing or laughing. A loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and fatigue are also key signs of lung cancer. Be alert for hoarseness, breathlessness, a new onset of wheezing and infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that are persistent.”
What should a healthcare professional do upon recognising the symptoms of lung cancer?
Kim told Wales Online: “If you visit your GP with symptoms suggestive of lung cancer, a GP should examine you and ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures how much air you breathe in and out. A blood test might be requested to rule out some of the possible causes of your symptoms. The main test to diagnose lung cancer is a chest X-ray. A CT scan will also be advised as well as a PET-CT scan.”
What are the consequences if lung cancer isn’t treated promptly?
Kim said: “More than half of people diagnosed with lung cancer will die within one year of diagnosis, even with treatment. Obviously, the sooner lung cancer is detected, the greater chance you have of survival. However, it all depends on the staging of the lung cancer and the health of the person overall.”
What are my legal rights if I’ve experienced a delayed lung cancer diagnosis?
Kim further explained: “A person has three years from their date of knowledge to bring a claim before the Court. In order to establish negligence, a person must prove that there has been a breach of duty of care and as a result, causation has arisen i.e. a person has suffered injury as a direct result of negligence. It can be difficult to be successful in a claim for negligence in cancer cases, particularly when proving causation. It might be that, whilst there has been a delay in diagnosing cancer, the outcome might not have been any different in any event.”