Thyroid Cancer Solicitors for Late or Wrong Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer.

Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that affects the thyroid gland, which consists of two lobes located in the neck. The thyroid gland is responsible for producing the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) which have several functions within the body including the regulation of your metabolic rate, and the amount of calcium which circulates in the blood.

There are four different forms of thyroid cancer:

• Papillary carcinoma – This is the most common type of thyroid cancer, accounting for around three quarters of all cases, and is especially prominent in those under 40, particularly women.
• Follicular carcinoma – This type of thyroid cancer is most commonly seen in women of middle age, and accounts for around 10% of all cases.
• Medullary carcinoma – This is a rare form of thyroid cancer, accounting for around 5% – 8% of cases, and it can often be hereditary.
• Anaplastic carcinoma – This is the rarest kind of thyroid cancer, accounting for around 2% of cases. It is also the most aggressive type of thyroid cancer, and is most often seen in patients over 60.

When thyroid cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the long term prognosis is generally very good. However, if the disease is not detected early enough, or is initially misdiagnosed as something less serious, the cancer has a chance to spread to other parts of the body or progress to a later stage. If this happens, a more invasive course of treatment may be required, or the cancer could even become incurable.

Medical professionals have a duty of care to their patients, and any breach in that duty of care can constitute medical negligence.

Some of the ways in which thyroid cancer negligence can occur include:

• Your GP fails to carry out the appropriate examinations when you present with symptoms
• Your GP fails to complete an urgent referral to a specialist for further testing
• Your GP misdiagnoses your cancer as a less serious condition such as hypothyroidism
• The specialist failed to carry out the appropriate tests
• The tests were done, but the results were misread or misinterpreted
• Abnormal test results were not acted upon accordingly
• An admin error occurred in which your test results were lost or mixed up with another patient’s

This list is not exhaustive, and if you have received any kind of negligent treatment from a medical professional which has led to your thyroid cancer worsening, and resulted in a more negative prognosis, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Thyroid cancer usually develops very gradually, so it can often be some time before the symptoms are recognised. The key symptoms to look out for include:

• A painless lump in the neck that increases in size
• Vocal changes such as a hoarse/scratchy voice
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck
• Difficulty when swallowing
• Difficulty with breathing
• Pain in the neck or throat

If you notice any of these symptoms it is important to consult your GP as soon as possible so that they can examine you and refer you for further testing where necessary. Only around 5% of lumps and swellings in the neck are due to thyroid cancer. In the majority of cases these symptoms are caused by a goitre, which is a non-cancerous enlargement of the thyroid gland often associated with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

Thyroid cancer occurs when the DNA in the throat cells mutate and grow abnormally at an uncontrolled rate, resulting in a lump that then develops into a tumour. Whilst there is no definitive way to determine what may cause a person to develop thyroid cancer, there are a number of potential risk factors, which can increase your likelihood, including:

• The pre-existence of a thyroid condition such as a goitre or thyroiditis.
• A close blood relative has previously been diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
• Experiencing doses of radiation as a child, including treatment with radiotherapy.
• Suffering with acromegaly – a condition whereby the body releases excessive amounts of growth hormone.
• The pre-existence of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) – a bowel condition caused by pathogenic mutations in the APC gene – can increase the risk of developing papillary thyroid cancer.

If you fall under any of the recognised risk categories and you present to your GP with symptoms of thyroid cancer – no matter how mild – they have a duty of care to carry out further investigations. Failure to do so could lead to your thyroid cancer progressing and causing you undue suffering.

If you have experienced poor cancer treatment from a medical professional, you may be entitled to claim compensation, therefore please get in touch with our expert solicitors as soon as possible to receive specialist advice and support.

If you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of thyroid cancer, the first step in diagnosing the condition is to see your GP as soon as possible. They should perform an examination of your neck, and ask for further details about your symptoms and your medical history. Your GP should also order a blood test in order to check your thyroid function, as there are some less serious thyroid problems that can cause similar symptoms.

If, after these initial tests, your GP still suspects thyroid cancer, they should refer you to see a specialist for further testing, which will likely include some or all of the following tests:

• Fine needle aspiration – This procedure is also known as a needle biopsy, and involves inserting a small needle into the lump in the neck in order to remove a small sample of cells to be examined microscopically.
• Ultrasound scan – This type of scan can be used to determine the presence, location, and quantity of lumps in the neck, and also whether they are fluid filled or solid.
• Further tests – The results from the fine needle aspiration may be inconclusive, requiring further testing. Likewise, further testing may be required following a cancer diagnosis in order to determine the type and stage before a treatment plan is decided upon. Further testing could take the form of a CT scan, MRI scan, PET scan, or thyroid scan.

If you feel that the correct tests were not carried out, or the results of the tests were not followed up on adequately, you may be able to claim compensation. Please don’t hesitate to speak to our medical negligence team today who will be happy to offer advice and guidance.

There are a number of different treatment options available for thyroid cancer, and the type of treatment you receive will typically depend on the particular type of thyroid cancer you have, the stage the cancer is at, and how far it has spread.

Treatment for thyroid cancer will typically involve some or all of the following options:

• Surgery – Part or all of the thyroid will be removed, known as a partial or total thyroidectomy.
• External radiotherapy – Cancer cells are destroyed using high energy waves of radiation.
• Chemotherapy – Cytotoxic drugs can be used to treat advanced thyroid cancer by slowing the growth and spread of the disease.
• Targeted cancer drugs – Certain types of thyroid cancer are best treated with targeted drugs, such as radioactive iodine treatment, which involves the oral ingestion of a radioactive medicine that travels to the site of the cancer to target and destroy the cells.

An early diagnosis for thyroid cancer can vastly improve the success of the treatment and reduce the likelihood of enduring aggressive and invasive treatments in the future. When thyroid cancer is misdiagnosed and treatment is delayed, the disease can progress and worsen, and this may constitute medical negligence.