Patient’s Testicular Cancer Diagnosed Three Years Late After Medical Negligence Claim Filed

A 30-year-old man named Hanan suffered a severe delay in his testicular cancer diagnosis, with the tumor only identified three years after initial symptoms and medical examinations. In 2022, Hanan injured his testicle during a soccer game and was examined at Sheba Medical Center, where ultrasound and Doppler tests revealed suspicious signs consistent with testicular cancer. Despite a radiologist’s urgent recommendation for a full-body CT scan to check for metastases, Hanan’s family doctor at Maccabi Health Services did not follow through, instead referring him only for urological follow-up. The urologist also failed to pursue further diagnostic steps or cancer suspicion, and over the next three years, Hanan’s symptoms and suspicious findings were repeatedly overlooked by medical professionals at Maccabi.

It was only in September 2025, after Hanan returned to Sheba with abdominal and testicular pain, that a large tumor covering the entire testicle and enlarged lymph nodes were detected via ultrasound and CT scan. A month later, he underwent orchiectomy, and pathology confirmed a seminoma tumor measuring approximately 5.5 centimeters, comparable to a tennis ball. Legal representatives Rafael Almog and Rotem Tzioni filed a medical negligence lawsuit at Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court, alleging that the delayed diagnosis and inadequate care directly caused serious harm and disease progression.

Expert opinions attached to the lawsuit, including from urological surgeon Dr. Shental Yosef and oncologist Prof. Rahamim Ben Yosef, assert that the initial ultrasound findings warranted urgent investigation and that failure to act breached accepted medical standards. They further state that earlier diagnosis could have prevented metastasis and the need for chemotherapy, which now risks secondary cancers and has reduced Hanan’s life expectancy by about 15%. The lawsuit demands compensation up to 2.5 million shekels. Maccabi Health Services acknowledged receipt of the claim and stated they will review it and respond through medical expert opinions in court.