After receiving the life changing diagnosis of cancer, some physicians may encourage a patient to seek a second opinion. Friends and family would most certainly insist on this; perhaps even go to the lengths of seeking out an expert in the field or a world-class hospital that specializes in a particular type of cancer.
In most cases, the purpose of the second "opinion" is to verify the cancer diagnosis and more importantly, to validate the treatment plan suggested by the first physician. For instance, if a patient seeks the second opinion of a physician taking part in a clinical study, the approach to treatment may be drastically different. After gaining both opinions, it is then up to the patient to compare both opinions and determine which approach is right for him.
However, what if the problem to be found had nothing to do with the diagnosis but rather the fact that the diagnosis was based on the wrong patient's biopsy results? In other words, a cancer free patient's results were switched with the results of a patient who had cancer (click here to read about such a switching error). In this case, a second opinion (or third or fourth) would do nothing to protect the patient. Unless a second biopsy was ordered by the physician offering the second opinion, this switching error would very likely remain undetected. At that point, a cancer free patient may have undergone an unneccessary surgery such as a double masectomy or prostatecomy.
The know error® system, introduced in 2009 by Diagnostic ID, LLC, employs a DNA matching technology that provides DNA confirmation of a positive biopsy result. With the know error® system in place, patients and physicians alike are ensured that the first opinion and any given thereafter are based on the right biopsy results.
For more information about the know error® system, please visit our website www.knowerror.com.
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