What to Do if Your Kidney Cancer was Missed or Diagnosed too Late | Nash & Co Solicitors
Written by Mike Shiers and Rebecca Brisley | Medical Negligence team | 18 February 2026
Being told that your kidney cancer was missed or diagnosed later than it should have been can raise difficult and practical questions. You may wonder whether earlier diagnosis could have changed your treatment, or whether warning signs were overlooked during earlier appointments.
A delayed diagnosis does not always mean that mistakes were made. Kidney cancer can be challenging to identify, particularly in its early stages. However, there are situations where opportunities to investigate symptoms were missed, referrals were delayed, or test results were not acted upon appropriately.
Understanding what steps to take next can help you gain clarity about what happened and whether further action is appropriate.
What this article will cover
This article explains what to do if your kidney cancer was missed or diagnosed too late, how to assess whether care may have fallen below acceptable standards, and how medical negligence claims relating to kidney cancer work in the UK. It also explains how Nash & Co Solicitors supports individuals across Plymouth, Devon, Cornwall, and nationwide.
Why kidney cancer diagnoses are sometimes delayed
Kidney cancer symptoms are often vague and can overlap with common conditions. Blood in the urine may be intermittent, pain may be attributed to musculoskeletal causes, and fatigue may not appear unusual at first.
Delays can also occur due to systemic issues, such as slow referral pathways, imaging backlogs, or communication failures between departments. In some cases, abnormal findings on scans performed for other reasons may not be followed up promptly.
Understanding why the delay occurred is an important part of determining whether appropriate care was provided.
First steps if you suspect your diagnosis was delayed
If you believe your kidney cancer diagnosis was missed or delayed, it can be helpful to start by gathering information about your medical history. This is not about assigning blame, but about understanding the sequence of events that led to diagnosis.
You may wish to request copies of your GP and hospital records, including referral letters, scan reports, and test results. Reviewing these records can help clarify whether symptoms were reported, what action was taken, and whether further investigation should have been arranged sooner.
It can also be helpful to make a simple timeline of appointments, symptoms, and advice given. This can assist a specialist when reviewing whether the care you received met acceptable standards.
When delayed diagnosis may amount to medical negligence
Not every delayed diagnosis gives rise to a medical negligence claim. To establish negligence, it must be shown that the care provided fell below the standard expected of a reasonably competent medical professional, and that this failure caused avoidable impact.
For example, negligence may be considered where a GP failed to refer a patient with persistent blood in the urine for imaging, or where scan results indicating a kidney abnormality were not followed up. If another competent clinician would have taken action sooner, there may be grounds for further investigation.
Independent medical experts are used to assess whether earlier diagnosis should reasonably have occurred and whether the delay affected treatment options.
The importance of seeking specialist advice early
Seeking advice early can be important for several reasons. Medical records are easier to obtain and review while events are relatively recent, and it allows potential issues to be identified before key evidence becomes harder to access.
Early advice also allows time for careful investigation. Kidney cancer negligence claims are complex and rely on expert analysis of medical decision making at each stage of care.
Speaking with an experienced member of a Medical Negligence team can help you understand whether your concerns are likely to meet the legal threshold for a claim.
How kidney cancer negligence claims are investigated
Kidney cancer medical negligence claims involve a detailed review of the care provided. This includes GP consultations, hospital referrals, imaging requests, and interpretation of results.
The investigation focuses on whether appropriate steps were taken at each point and whether earlier diagnosis was reasonably achievable. Independent medical experts assess whether the care fell below acceptable standards and what difference earlier diagnosis may have made.
This process takes time and is evidence led. Clear explanation and transparency are essential throughout.
What compensation claims aim to address
Compensation in kidney cancer negligence claims is intended to reflect the practical impact of delayed diagnosis. This may include additional treatment requirements, ongoing monitoring, or changes to future care needs that arose because diagnosis occurred later than it should have.
Each claim is assessed on its own facts, based on medical evidence and expert opinion.
How Nash & Co Solicitors can help
When you contact Nash & Co Solicitors, you will speak directly with an experienced member of the Medical Negligence team. We will take time to understand your concerns, ask questions about what happened, and explain whether further investigation may be appropriate.
We obtain and review medical records, instruct independent experts, and guide clients through each stage of the process in a clear and measured way. Our focus is on transparency and helping you understand your options without pressure.
Nash & Co Solicitors assists clients throughout Plymouth, Devon, Cornwall, and across the UK. You can contact us by phone on 01752 827067 or by email at medneg@nash.co.uk.
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A diagnosis may be considered delayed if symptoms were present or identifiable earlier, but appropriate investigation or referral did not take place.
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No. Kidney cancer can be difficult to diagnose, and not every delay is negligent. Each case depends on whether care fell below acceptable standards.
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If symptoms were not investigated appropriately and this led to delayed diagnosis, there may be grounds to explore a claim.
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Generally, you have three years to bring a medical negligence claim but when this starts depends on your specific circumstances.
In some cases, the time runs from the date the negligence and harm were obvious, while in others it runs from your date of knowledge, meaning when you knew or reasonably ought to have known that negligent treatment had caused you harm, such as the date of a delayed cancer diagnosis.
This test is fact specific and varies by case so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible to protect your position.
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Yes. We assist clients across Devon, Cornwall, and throughout the UK.
