Cervical Cancer Impacting Young Women

The importance of a yearly physical has long been stressed by medical professionals to help detect serious illnesses before they become problems. Doctors alerted to medical conditions can help proscribe a treatment plan which will put patients on the road to complete recovery. All too often, physicians miss signs that lead to tragic consequences. For young women, hard to detect cancers may develop and spread because of a physician's inability to diagnose the cancer at an early stage.

The rate of survival for cancers increases the earlier it is detected. Breast cancer awareness has led to many women getting mammograms to discover the cancer right away. This has helped to increase the number of women who are able to undergo successful treatment. While breast cancer treatment and detection tactics have improved, younger women also need to be sure that they are thoroughly screened for ovarian and cervical cancers.

Cervical cancer is an extremely difficult cancer to detect. The pap test is most commonly used by physicians to determine if the cancer is present. If this test is not performed at an annual physical, the cancer could spread quickly.

Early detection is essential for treating cervical cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the rate of survival for a woman who has been diagnosed in the early stages is over 90 percent. Once the cancer spreads to lymphnodes, that number drops to a 57 percent survival rate. If the cancer has significantly spread to other areas of the body, the rate of survival is only 17 percent.

The NCI also reports that this cancer is affecting women at a younger age. The median age of those diagnosed with the cancer is 48. Nearly 15 percent of reported cervical cancer cases impact women aged 20 to 34, with 5 percent of all fatal cases impacting this age group.

While cervical cancer is not as deadly as ovarian cancer, it is more common in younger women. Physicians who fail to completely screen for cervical cancer may be placing their patients at risk. If a diagnosis is missed, patients may have a claim for medical malpractice against the medical professionals who were unable to detect the cancer.

If you are fighting cancer, or if a family member has lost the battle due to late detection of cancer by a physician, speak to an experienced attorney to discuss your options. You may be entitled to compensation.

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