How Often Is Lung Cancer Misdiagnosed As Asthma Or Bronchitis?

Lung cancer remains one of the most serious and deadly forms of cancer in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 218,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, and more than 131,000 die from the disease annually. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical to effective treatment, but lung cancer frequently presents with symptoms that mimic far more common respiratory conditions, such as asthma or bronchitis. When cancer is misdiagnosed, treatment can be delayed with potentially devastating results.

How Can Lung Cancer Be Misdiagnosed?

One of the greatest challenges in diagnosing lung cancer is that its early symptoms are often non-specific. Patients in the early stages of lung cancer may experience symptoms that overlap with more common conditions, such as asthma and bronchitis. These conditions are both characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to symptoms such as:

• Persistent or productive cough
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness

Unfortunately, these same symptoms are also frequently present in early stages of lung cancer, particularly when tumors irritate or block air passages. Asthma and bronchitis are very common conditions, so physicians may reasonably, though mistakenly, give people with these symptoms a diagnosis of asthma or acute bronchitis without much further testing, especially if the patient has risk factors for those diseases.

What Is The Cost Of Misdiagnosis?

While precise nationwide data on how often lung cancer is initially diagnosed as asthma or bronchitis is limited, multiple studies have shown that lung cancer is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed cancers. One large analysis found that almost 1 in 4 people with lung cancer are initially misdiagnosed with something benign, like asthma or bronchitis, leading to a delay in the diagnosis and treatment of their cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, once someone receives a diagnosis of lung cancer, their odds of surviving another 5 years are less than 30 percent. Much of the reason for this high mortality rate is due to the fact that a large number of patients aren’t diagnosed until after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, making it much more difficult to treat. In fact, while lung cancer makes up only 11 percent of all new cancer diagnoses each year, it causes more than 20 percent of all cancer deaths, making lung cancer the leading cause of all deaths resulting from cancer.

Beyond the physical and emotional toll that any cancer diagnosis can have on patients and their families, a delayed diagnosis can mean that treatment options are fewer, more aggressive, and less effective. In addition, misdiagnoses also lead to unnecessary treatments for conditions the patient doesn’t actually have, such as inhalers, steroids, or antibiotics. These treatments not only fail to address the underlying cancer, but they can also cause unnecessary side effects and additional health issues when used by people who don’t really need them.

Who Is Most At Risk Of Misdiagnosis?

While all lung cancer patients face the possibility of delayed or missed diagnosis due to mild or non-specific symptoms, certain populations are particularly vulnerable to misdiagnosis, such as:

• Non-smokers, due to the strong association of lung cancer with tobacco use, even though 20 percent of lung cancer patients have never smoked.
• People with pre-existing chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma or COPD, may find it harder to recognize new or worsening symptoms. Doctors may also attribute a change in their symptoms to worsening of their chronic condition, rather than the possibility of a cancer diagnosis.
• Older adults with multiple other health conditions, even if they have a history of smoking or environmental exposures, may have overlapping conditions that obscure a clear diagnosis.
• Younger people, as lung cancer is usually thought of as a disease of older adults.
• People with atypical or very mild symptoms.

Why Choose Ross Feller Casey?

At Ross Feller Casey, we understand the devastating impact that diagnostic errors can have on patients and their families, especially when lung cancer is misdiagnosed or overlooked. Medical misdiagnosis cases can be highly complicated and difficult to win without an experienced legal team. We have an on-staff team of top physicians to determine where the standard of care was breached and secure the compensation you deserve.

If you or a loved one was diagnosed with asthma or bronchitis that later turned out to be lung cancer, contact us today for a free consultation. We make it our mission to get justice for our clients and their families, and we’re ready to put our expertise to work for you. There’s no fee unless you win, so don’t delay.