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How doctors should follow up on abnormal mammograms

Women over a certain age have unique medical concerns. Typically, as women approach menopause, their bodies begin to change in ways that put them at elevated risk of cancer. Breast cancer, in particular, is a serious and relatively common medical issue that often arises later in a woman’s life.

There are many ways to screen for breast cancer. Medical professionals recommend that women inspect their breasts manually every month to identify changes in the tissue. They may also need to undergo imaging tests using mammogram devices. Mammogram testing helps analyze the internal tissue of the breasts and can identify abnormalities that might be cancer.

Mammogram testing is notorious for returning inconclusive results and false positives. Medical professionals generally need to call women back for follow-up testing when there are abnormalities in their mammogram results. Unfortunately, doctors sometimes fail to schedule women for additional testing. That failure can lead to tragic consequences.

What follow-up testing entails

There are many reasons that a mammogram might have abnormal results. Some women, especially those with smaller breasts, have dense tissue. Mammogram technology may not be able to accurately visualize dense breast tissue. Other times, there might be benign abnormalities that look like they could be cancer.

Medical professionals should follow up on an abnormal routine mammogram by having a woman return for a diagnostic mammogram. They undergo a second series of mammogram testing, often prioritizing certain specific sections of the breast tissue. Diagnostic mammograms may involve folded pictures and other tests not performed during the initial screening.

Secondary testing can provide a better view of the internal tissue and can either assist with diagnosing or ruling out breast cancer. In cases involving dense breast tissue, ultrasound testing may also be necessary. Ultrasound technology can provide an accurate image of tissue that may initially look abnormal.

If diagnostic mammograms or ultrasound test results also have concerning results, then doctors may need to refer a woman to a specialist for a biopsy procedure.

What happens if doctors don’t act?

The unfortunate reality is that many cases of breast cancer do not receive timely diagnosis. Treatment options for breast cancer have improved drastically in recent years. There are immunotherapies and surgeries available for women in the early stages of many types of breast cancer development.

A delay in diagnosis may force women to undergo much more invasive treatment including systemic chemotherapy and radical bilateral mastectomies. In cases where the cancer progresses to a more advanced stage because a doctor fails to identify abnormalities or order follow-up testing, the patient may have experienced medical malpractice.

Holding a physician accountable for failing to diagnose breast cancer can compensate those facing more aggressive treatment or grieving the death of a loved one. Medical malpractice lawsuits are a way to demand accountability from medical professionals and to push medical businesses to make patient care more of a priority.

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