Patient-related reasons:
(1) failure to conduct a breast self-examination
(2) failure to report an abnormal finding from breast self-examination
(3) failure to have mammography or other studies performed
(4) delay in visiting the physician
(5) becoming lost to followup
Primary care provider related:
(1) failure to examine the breast
(2) failure to order appropriate imaging studies
(3) failure to adequately aspirate a mass lesion in the breast
(4) delay in ordering the biopsy of a breast mass, often because the lesion is presumed to be benign
(5) inadequate followup of a patient
(6) failure to see test results (misfiling of results by office personnel, etc)
Caused by other providers:
(1) misreading of a mammogram by a radiologist
(2) mislabeling or loss of imaging study or specimen
(3) poor placement of a localizing wire
(4) failure to use the appropriate modality to evaluate the breast
(5) biopsy of the wrong site by the surgeon
(6) misreading of a cytology sample or biopsy by the pathologist
Insurance related:
(1) refusal or delay in approving a procedure