Cancer
Back to All Health IssuesCancer can be attributed to many causes, ranging from genetics to environmental factors. In some cases, a medical professional or corporate entity's reckless actions may have contributed to a cancer diagnosis.
According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 40% of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life. Cancer can be both a devastating diagnosis and a source of exorbitant medical expenses.
Cancer can be caused by potentially dangerous yet commonly prescribed drugs, like Zantac. In other cases, a doctor may fail to diagnose cancer, delaying the patient’s access to vital treatment.
If you feel you have been diagnosed with cancer as a result of dangerous drugs or a negligent healthcare professional, contact MedFault for more information and to set up a free legal consultation with an experienced attorney.
What Causes Cancer?
Cancer is a group of diseases that involve abnormal cell growth, caused by changes to DNA. These changes cause some cells to divide uncontrollably, sometimes spreading into surrounding body tissues. Common types of cancer include breast, lung, and colorectal cancer.
Some cancers may be genetic, and some are caused by long-term exposure to chemical or environmental carcinogens. Cancer is caused by damage to the genes that control how the body’s cells divide and grow. This damage can be due to many different reasons, including genetic predisposition; lifestyle factors like smoking cigarettes; environmental toxins like exposure to lead, benzene, asbestos, or gamma rays; as well as dangerous medications.
Cancer disrupts the process that cells use to reproduce. In a healthy body, older cells die and are replaced by newer cells. Cancer inhibits old cell turnover, while also producing new cells. When these new cells produce uncontrollably, masses can form called tumors. Tumors can be either malignant or benign. A malignant tumor invades bodily tissue nearby and may break off into the bloodstream, causing new tumors in other areas of the body. A benign tumor does not affect nearby tissue and does not usually grow back after being removed.
The prognosis for cancer is currently improving, with a wide range of treatment options available. However, cancer is still the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC. Symptoms and treatment vary with each type of cancer, how advanced the cancer has become, and when it is first detected. Some cancers have a better rate of survival than others.
Dangerous Drugs May Increase Your Cancer Risk
Recent studies have found that many commonly prescribed drugs may increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration approves each new drug before it can be sold. However, some risks are not identified until after the drug has been on the market for a few years.
Drug manufacturers have a public responsibility to make sure that their product is safe for consumption. When they conceal information or fail to conduct adequate safety tests on their product, a patient’s only recourse may be a product liability lawsuit against the drug manufacturer. Drugs that may increase the risk of getting cancer include, but are not limited to the following.
Zantac
Zantac is a popular heartburn medication in the US. However, the FDA has warned that certain batches of the medication contains an impurity, called NDMA, that may increase the risk of certain types of cancer. The FDA noted they are still evaluating the level of NMDA in Zantac, and that NMDA is harmful in large amounts.
Valsartan and Losartan
These two drugs are used to treat high blood pressure. They were recalled after the FDA discovered they also contained NMDA: a known carcinogen.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)
These medications are used to treat heartburn and acid reflux. Nexium and Prilosec are examples of PPIs. Some researchers have found that long-term PPI usage may increase the risk of stomach cancer by up to 250%.
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Free Case Evaluation
If you’ve experienced serious side effects from a prescription drug, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit. Find out if you qualify.
Delayed Cancer Diagnosis: Medical Malpractice
If a doctor fails to diagnose your cancer or fails to diagnose your cancer in a timely manner, you may qualify for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Delayed diagnosis of cancer can greatly affect a patient’s health. Without early treatment, cancer can progress and spread to other parts of the body, making treatment more difficult and outcomes less favorable. In some severe cases, a delayed cancer diagnosis can even result in the death of a loved one.
A doctor’s misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of cancer may happen if they fail to ask for a patient’s thorough medical history, dismiss symptoms, fail to order relevant diagnostic tests, and similar acts of carelessness. Doctors whose negligence leads to a cancer misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose may be held liable for medical malpractice.
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