Brain Cancer Misdiagnosis

Brain Cancer Misdiagnosis

Brain cancer is another commonly misdiagnosed cancer as it’s often confused with migraines. As many as one in four sufferers are incorrectly diagnosed and two-thirds are diagnosed late lessening their chances of survival (source: The Rarer Cancers Foundation Report). Sufferers experience severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, blurred vision and seizures as the cancer develops, which are also similar to migraines.

Typically, the treatment for brain cancer starts with surgery under general anaesthetic, which can be dangerous, followed by radiosurgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Medication may be required to stop symptoms such as seizures and fits following surgery occurring, as well as anti-swelling drugs (corticosteroids) and pain killers.

Early treatment is vital which is why the right diagnosis is so important.

Mistaken for Migraines

A couple of years ago, the Daily Mail reported the case of Claire Bellamy – an NHS administrator from County Durham – who became concerned when she began getting persistent, splitting headaches followed by loss of vision and slurred speech, so she arranged an appointment with her GP. Initially, she was given a diagnosis of migraines and was only correctly told that she had brain cancer after around 50 visits to the doctor, when she eventually collapsed following the birth of her son. Tests found she had a huge tumour in her brain which may have been growing for five years. It was removed during a six-hour operation, and she now needs checks every two years to ensure the cancer’s not returned. If she’d been correctly diagnosed when she first visited her doctor, these would all have been unnecessary.

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If you would like to speak to one of our medical solicitors about a claim for compensation, then please feel free to call 0800 122 3130 or ask for a call back on our website when it is convenient for you. We are here to help with free advice about a claim for your misdiagnosis.