Joanna Szabo  |  May 22, 2018

Category: Consumer News

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pap-smear-missed-cervical-cancerWhile Pap smear screening has become an essential method of detecting signs of cervical cancer early on, the process is not infallible. More than two hundred women in Ireland have reported developing cervical cancer after being given the all-clear from their Pap smear screening.

According to Health Service Executive (HSE) 206 women’s free national screening Pap smear missed cervical cancer signs that, properly handled, should have prompted further medical investigation.

However, when the tests were later reviewed, it was found that 173 of the women should have been referred to colposcopy, and 33 others should have been referred for a repeat Pap smear. Either of these processes could have helped catch signs of cervical cancer earlier on, allowing for prevention or treatment.

Are you one of the women whose Pap smear missed cervical cancer signs that led to diagnosis? You may be able to pursue litigation.

Pap Smear Screening

Pap smear screening is an extremely useful method of detecting cervical cancer before it begins, known as pre-cancer. Since Pap smear screening services became available, the death rate for cervical cancer has dropped dramatically.

Essentially, a Pap smear screening collects cells from a patient’s cervix, which are then examined for any evidence of cancer or abnormalities that may indicate the possibility of a future diagnosis of cervical cancer. This allows a patient who shows signs of cancer to undergo preventative treatment, which can stop cancer entirely.

In order to be most effective, women should undergo Pap smear screening regularly. The American Cancer Society encourages women age 21 to 29 to receive Pap smears every three years. Between the ages of 30 and 65, the suggested regularity reduces to every five years.

Pap smear screening has been used to detect cervical cancer for the last sixty years, and they are extremely effective, making cervical cancer one of the most preventable gynecologic cancers.

Unfortunately, some who receive a Pap smear screening that clears them of cervical cancer risk may later end up with a cervical cancer diagnosis. This may be due to the negligence of medical labs. For instance, a medical lab may have failed to actually detect cancer cells, even though the cancer was in fact there.

Missing a cervical cancer diagnosis during a Pap smear may mean that a patient is only diagnosed when cancer has become far more serious, such as when it has already progressed to Stage 3 or Stage 4, which is much more difficult to treat and much more deadly.

Filing a Missed Cervical Cancer Lawsuit

If you believe your Pap smear missed cervical cancer signs that could have prevented the cervical cancer diagnosis altogether, you may be able to file a lawsuit.

Filing a missed cervical cancer lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by cervical cancer, nor can it bring a loved one back to life. But filing a lawsuit can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses, hospital stays, and lost wages.

In general, cervical cancer lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

If you were diagnosed with cervical cancer within the last five years, or if your loved one died of cervical cancer, and a medical lab failed to identify the cancer on a Pap smear test, you may have a legal claim. Get a free evaluation of your potential cervical cancer misdiagnosis claim by filling out the form on this page now.

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Join a Free Missed Cervical Cancer Lawsuit Investigation

If you qualify, a cervical cancer lawyer will contact you to discuss the details of your potential case at no charge to you.

PLEASE NOTE: If you want to participate in this investigation, it is imperative that you reply to the law firm if they call or email you. Failing to do so may result in you not getting signed up as a client or getting you dropped as a client.

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