Treatment Options for Colon Cancer

Baltimore Attorneys Representing Victims of Negligent Colon Cancer Treatment

Treatment options for colon cancer depend on multiple factors, including the cancer’s stage, the patient’s overall health, and how far the disease has spread at the time of diagnosis. When doctors act with competence and diligence, they recommend appropriate and timely treatment plans that can significantly improve a patient’s prognosis and chance of recovery. However, when healthcare providers fail to recognize, discuss, or provide suitable treatment options for colon cancer, their negligence can cause the disease to progress, depriving patients of potentially life-saving interventions. If you or someone close to you has suffered harm because of a medical provider’s failure to recommend appropriate treatment for colon cancer, the experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys at Arfaa Law Group can help you pursue accountability and financial recovery for your losses.

The Importance of Proper Treatment Options for Colon Cancer

Treatment options for colon cancer must be carefully selected and administered based on each patient’s individual condition and the stage of the cancer. Colon cancer is often highly treatable when detected and addressed early. Effective management usually involves surgical removal of malignant tissue, often followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or targeted biologic medications aimed at preventing recurrence or metastasis. Physicians must also monitor patients after treatment to identify residual disease or complications. The success of colon cancer treatment depends largely on prompt diagnosis and the implementation of evidence-based medical interventions.

When doctors fail to offer appropriate treatment options for colon cancer, the results can be catastrophic. Patients may be deprived of the opportunity to undergo potentially curative procedures, such as colectomy or laparoscopic surgery, at a stage when the cancer is still localized. A physician’s failure to recommend adjuvant therapies, such as chemotherapy following surgery, can allow cancer cells to spread undetected, diminishing the likelihood of long-term remission. In some instances, providers fail to refer patients to oncologists or specialists with the expertise necessary to evaluate and manage complex cases. This lack of appropriate referral or communication can result in delayed treatment, unnecessary suffering, and, tragically, premature death.

Establishing Negligence in a Maryland Medical Malpractice Claim

Patients harmed by a physician’s failure to recommend appropriate treatment options for colon cancer may pursue a medical malpractice claim. Under Maryland law, such a claim is based on negligence, which consists of four key elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. To prevail, the plaintiff must prove each of these elements by a preponderance of the evidence.

A doctor owes a legal duty to provide care consistent with the accepted standard of medical practice. This standard represents the level of skill, knowledge, and care that a reasonably competent physician in the same field would exercise under similar circumstances. In cases involving colon cancer, the duty may include ordering appropriate diagnostic tests, recommending surgery or chemotherapy, or advising the patient of all viable treatment alternatives. When a physician fails to meet this standard—by disregarding established guidelines or neglecting to refer a patient for necessary interventions—they may be found to have breached their duty.

Causation requires the plaintiff to demonstrate that the physician’s breach of duty directly caused the patient’s harm. In other words, it must be shown that if the doctor had recommended the proper course of treatment, the patient’s outcome would have been materially better. Proving this connection typically requires expert testimony. These experts often explain how timely surgery or adjuvant therapy could have prevented metastasis or improved survival rates, thereby linking the doctor’s omission to the patient’s worsened prognosis.

The final element, damages, encompasses the actual harm suffered as a result of the physician’s negligence. Damages may include the costs of additional medical treatment, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and, in fatal cases, wrongful death damages for surviving family members.

Consult a Knowledgeable Baltimore Medical Malpractice Attorney

The failure to recommend or administer appropriate treatment options for colon cancer can rob patients of the opportunity for recovery and cause needless suffering. If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a physician’s failure to recommend or provide proper colon cancer treatment, it is essential to seek legal guidance as soon as possible. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys have extensive experience handling complex cancer-related negligence cases, and if you hire us, our attorneys can review your medical records, consult with experts, and develop a strong case to prove liability and secure compensation for your losses. Our office is located in Baltimore and proudly represents clients throughout the city and across Maryland who have suffered as a result of medical malpractice and inadequate cancer care. You can contact us at 410-889-1850 or reach us through our online form to schedule a confidential consultation and discuss your legal options.