From the Guidelines
The average time to diagnosis for multiple myeloma is typically delayed, with patients often visiting their primary care provider three times with signs and symptoms consistent with myeloma before the diagnosis is considered 1.
Delay in Diagnosis
- The delay in diagnosis can be attributed to various factors, including reduced access to primary care, mistrust in the healthcare system, financial barriers, poor physician-patient communication, and physician’s bias 1.
- Additionally, pain, a common presenting symptom for multiple myeloma, is often misinterpreted and not properly recognized by physicians, with bone pain or low back pain being misattributed to arthritis or osteoporosis 1.
Treatment Delay
- A notable delay from disease diagnosis to receipt of treatment has been noted, with an average length of time of 5.2 months for African American patients compared to 2.7 months for White patients 1.
Lawsuit Settlement
- There is no direct information provided on the average time to potential lawsuit settlement for multiple myeloma, as the study primarily focuses on the disparities in diagnosis and treatment 1. It is essential to note that the provided evidence does not discuss lawsuit settlements, and therefore, no conclusion can be drawn regarding this aspect 1.
From the Research
Average Time to Diagnosis
- The median time from symptom onset to diagnosis of multiple myeloma is approximately 4-6 months 2, 3.
- A study found that the median interval from symptom onset to registration for medical consultation was 30 days, from registration to consultation 2 days, from first consultation to diagnosis 73 days, and from diagnosis to treatment 5 days 2.
- The overall time to diagnosis median was 151 days 2.
- Another study reported a median time from first symptoms to diagnosis of 4 months in a retrospective analysis and 6 months in a prospective analysis 3.
Factors Influencing Diagnostic Delay
- Factors that significantly prolong diagnostic intervals include living in big cities, anxiety and depression, self-medication, and seeing more specialists before diagnosis 2.
- A delay in diagnosis is very frequent, with 68% of cases experiencing a delay of more than 3 months from the onset of symptoms 4.
Potential Lawsuit Settlement
- There is no direct evidence provided on the average lawsuit settlement for multiple myeloma.
- However, studies suggest that diagnostic delay may lead to increased complications and decreased patient satisfaction, which could potentially be relevant in lawsuit settlements 2, 3.
- It is essential to note that lawsuit settlements are typically determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account various factors such as the severity of the disease, the extent of diagnostic delay, and the resulting complications.
Complications and Prognosis
- Diagnostic delay may result in higher incidences of multiple myeloma complications, such as pathologic bone fractures, renal, and infectious complications 2, 3.
- However, some studies found that diagnostic delay does not necessarily decrease overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) 3, 4, 5.