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Shocking information that a woman was wrongly diagnosed with metastatic cancer and put on chemotherapy treatment emerged on Friday.
A medical mix-up caused the woman to be given the biopsy results belonging to another patient, Philenews reported.
The 40-year-old woman was informed that she had metastatic cancer and was given six months to live, the report said. The woman claimed she underwent a cycle of chemotherapy, before a check of the biopsy sample determined that there had been a mix-up.
The shocking case is recorded in a letter from the complainant, sent through her lawyer Theodoulos Papavasiliou, to the management of the Nicosia general hospital and the Bank of Cyprus (BoC) oncology centre. The letter, sent on Wednesday, calls on the authorities to provide answers.
The woman’s ordeal began in February, when she was referred by her doctor to the BoC oncology centre to have a sample taken for biopsy, which was sent to Nicosia general hospital for testing.
Twenty days later the woman received the diagnosis of metastatic cancer, about which she stated she had reservations, but nonetheless she started a cycle of chemotherapy.
The woman later requested and procured a DNA test of the sample which had allegedly shown she had metastatic cancer. That test revealed that the sample did not belong to her but to another unknown person.
The serious incident of medical mismanagement caused tremendous anguish to the woman, as well as to her family, the complainant said, with all requiring support from mental health services for the past four months.
In the letter, her lawyer requests answers in writing and seeks to assign responsibility for the massive mistake. The letter asks for information about the employee who took the biopsy from the 40-year-old woman, as well as the staff member responsible for sending the samples to the hospital.
Clarification is sought on whether the mistake was made at the oncology centre or the Nicosia general.
The unanswered question concerning the identity of the patient who was given the woman’s result and whether or not that person has been informed, and is receiving appropriate treatment, was also raised.
The oncology centre, meanwhile, said upon learning of the patient’s letter it immediately carried out an investigation to verify the data.
According to the centre, the woman did not in fact receive chemotherapy.
“From preliminary investigation it has been confirmed that in principle the patient in question did not receive chemotherapy,” the centre said.
“Without underestimating the disruption that has been caused, we want to assure patients and their families that we are treating these allegations with the utmost sensitivity and diligence,” it added.
“Our main goal, since the beginning of the centre’s operation 25 years ago, has been, and remains, the provision of high-level care to our patients, which is being realised. As soon as the internal investigation is concluded, all directly involved will be informed,” the centre said.
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