October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a reminder of the importance of screening, recognizing changes in your body, and speaking up when something does not feel right.
Early detection can make a meaningful difference in breast cancer treatment and outcomes. But early detection is about more than getting a mammogram. It also means recognizing symptoms, following up on abnormal findings, and making sure persistent concerns are properly investigated.
Breast Cancer Does Not Always Cause Pain
One common misconception about breast cancer is that it always causes pain. In reality, breast cancer can be painless, particularly in its early stages. Potential warning signs can include a new lump or thickening in the breast or underarm, changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling or puckering, unexplained nipple discharge, a nipple that suddenly turns inward, or persistent redness or swelling. These symptoms do not necessarily mean you have breast cancer. But unexplained breast changes should not be ignored simply because they do not hurt.
Mammograms Are Important
Some women delay mammograms because they are concerned about radiation exposure. However, the amount of radiation used during a mammogram is low, and for most women for whom screening is recommended, the benefits of early detection outweigh the small radiation risk. Mammograms can identify some breast cancers before they can be felt, potentially allowing cancer to be diagnosed when more treatment options are available.
But a normal mammogram should not necessarily end the conversation when a breast symptom persists. If you continue to experience a lump, nipple discharge, skin changes, persistent focal pain, or another unexplained change, tell your healthcare provider and ask whether additional evaluation is appropriate.
Ask Questions and Know What Happens Next
Being an active participant in your healthcare means understanding both your test results and the plan for what happens next. If you are concerned about a breast change, ask what could be causing your symptoms, whether additional imaging or testing is appropriate, what you should watch for if imaging is normal, when you should return if symptoms persist, and whether you should see a breast specialist. A reassuring initial test may be good news, but persistent or changing symptoms can still require follow-up.
Early Detection Requires Follow-Through
Breast cancer awareness often focuses on screening, but early detection does not end when the mammogram is complete. It also means following up on abnormal results, reporting new symptoms promptly, attending recommended appointments, and asking questions when something does not make sense. If concerns remain unresolved, seeking a second opinion may also be appropriate.
A patient can do everything right – report a lump, undergo testing, attend appointments, and continue raising concerns – and still experience a delayed diagnosis if symptoms or abnormal findings are not appropriately investigated.
When a Delayed Diagnosis May Be Medical Malpractice
Not every delayed breast cancer diagnosis is medical malpractice. Breast cancer can sometimes be difficult to detect, and no screening test identifies every cancer. However, questions may arise when a persistent lump is not appropriately evaluated, abnormal imaging is not followed up, additional imaging or biopsy is unreasonably delayed, or concerning symptoms are repeatedly dismissed.
Even then, proving malpractice requires more than showing the cancer could have been diagnosed sooner. An important question is whether the delay caused additional harm. Did the cancer progress or spread? Did the patient require more aggressive treatment? Were treatment options reduced? Was the patient's prognosis affected?
Answering these questions generally requires careful review of the medical records, imaging, pathology, treatment history, and opinions from qualified medical experts.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to get recommended screenings – but also to listen to your body. Report new symptoms, follow up on abnormal findings, and continue asking questions when a concern does not go away.
If you or a loved one experienced a delayed breast cancer diagnosis because symptoms or abnormal findings were not properly investigated or followed up, you may have a medical malpractice case. Kurzban Kurzban Tetzeli & Pratt, P.A. represents patients and families in medical malpractice cases throughout Florida. Contact us at +1 (877) KKTPLAW for a free, confidential consultation to discuss what happened and learn more about your legal options.