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A teen is diagnosed with the flu; turns out he has cancer

On Behalf of | Mar 1, 2018 | Firm News, medical malpractice

This cold and flu season has been deadly. There have been countless stories circulating in recent months about individuals either being misdiagnosed or receiving delayed diagnoses, resulting in their deaths. A recent story out of Florida is perhaps one of the most shocking of all misdiagnosis cases yet though.

A 16-year-old Tampa boy reported to an area hospital soon after the cold and flu season began in November 2017. At that time, he was suffering from shortness of breath and exhaustion, conditions which doctors readily diagnosed as the flu.He was prescribed medication and sent home to recover.

When his condition didn’t improve in the weeks following his diagnosis and taking the medication he’d been prescribed for the flu, his mom took him to see another doctor for a second opinion. Much to her and her son’s dismay, a CAT-SCAN performed revealed that his left lung was 30 percent collapsed. His right one was already fully collapsed. The scan also revealed a buildup of fluid in each.

Doctors later diagnosed him with Hodgkin lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer. By the time it was diagnosed, it was at state IVB. Doctors have told the teen’s mom that it’s likely he’s had the cancer for several months now. As if the condition weren’t already difficult enough to treat, doctors have told the teen’s mom that it’s going to take a significant effort to get the boy into remission since his diagnosis has been delayed so long.

Since his new diagnosis was rendered, the Tampa teen has begun chemotherapy. The condition has a 65 percent survival rate over a five-year period. He’s expected to undergo radiation as soon as he completes his first round of chemotherapy.

If you’ve been misdiagnosed with one medical condition when you really were suffering from something perhaps far worse, then a Chicago medical malpractice attorney can advise you of your rights in your legal matter.

Source: USA Today, “Florida teen first diagnosed with flu finds out he has stage 4 cancer,” Ashley May, Feb. 28, 2018

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