Compensation secured after cancer misdiagnosed twice by GPs

Roger (name changed to protect confidentiality) 

What happened? 

Roger, 55 years old, attended his GP in 2013 about a lump on his head. The GP diagnosed it as a harmless cyst but because it was irritating Roger the GP removed it. The removed material was not sent for histological testing to check for cancer. 

It 2014 Roger returned to the GP complaining about another lump on his head in the same area as the suspected cyst removed in 2013. It was again diagnosed as another suspected harmless cyst and again removed by the GP to stop irritation. A histological report was again not requested to test for cancer from the lump material. 

In 2015 Roger was referred to a specialist doctor at Hospital by his GP because of unusual pains in his head and swollen lymph nodes in his neck. Investigations, including a biopsy of the original lump area, were carried out and Roger underwent explorative surgery to try and find out what was wrong. The diagnosis was cancer. 

Roger had more surgery and radiotherapy, but it was unsuccessful. He died in 2016. 

The investigation 

We instructed a GP expert to report on the standard of GP care Roger received. It became very clear that Roger’s GP should have obtained histological tests on both lumps removed in 2013 and 2014. An expert is cancer confirmed that if these histology tests has been correctly requested, they would have identified cancer. This would have led to a diagnosis and treatment before the cancer progressed. 

Roger would not have died with earlier diagnosis and treatment. 

After protracted discussions with the GPs professional indemnifier the fatal claim for compensation pursued through Roger’s Estate and his wife settled for substantial damages for compensation. Click here for more information about Fatal Claims.