“The Home Edit” star Clea Shearer bravely announced she has aggressive breast cancer, which is a shock for anyone, even more so because she was younger than 40. Shearer said she had asked repeatedly for an appointment with her OBGYN after finding a lump, but could not get in, so she refused to let her concerns wait and asked her primary care doctor to order the mammogram that led to her diagnosis. Her Stage 2 diagnosis, of course, if delayed any further, could’ve been even more dangerous. Shearer was fortunate to have self-detected her lump, and her fierce self-advocacy may have saved her life. She had a double mastectomy in April of 2022, and her treatment continues.

Shearer’s experience highlights an important issue for the R&B legal team, which advocates for clients whose cancer is not diagnosed in a timely manner. According to the National Academy of Medicine, “Most people will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences.” Furthermore, diagnostic errors are estimated to occur at rates of 10%-15 % per diagnosis. Cancer can be particularly high on this scale, with lung cancer being misdiagnosed 22.5% of the time and breast cancer at 8.9% of the time.

Delayed or misdiagnosis can happen for many reasons, including specialists and staff not using their equipment properly or at all.

This situation was part of a tragic late diagnosis for one of our clients, a 37-year-old mother who had lumps in her left breast and armpit and a family history of breast cancer. The health system failed to diagnose it for two years, missing valuable opportunities to do a needle biopsy - the gold standard in the diagnosis of breast cancer - leading to her death and leaving two young children behind.

Another reason for late or missed diagnoses is that doctors do not have enough time with their patients. The current U.S. health system often pressures doctors to see more patients due to financial incentives. This over-scheduling and physician fatigue can have deadly consequences.

A cancer misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis compounds and complicates what is already a major life-altering event. One valuable way to reduce the risk of a delayed diagnosis is, like Clea Shearer, to be your own biggest advocate. Trust your instincts if you feel something needs attention, and insist your health be taken seriously even when others may not.

If you or someone you know had a cancer diagnosis delayed or had cancer misdiagnosed, Romanucci & Blandin offers consultations that are free and confidential. Learn more about cancer misdiagnosis cases.