Cancer Misdiagnosed After Woman Undergoes Chemotherapy and Hysterectomy

Last Thursday 4/19, I watched the Primetime Thursday on ABC. It had a very devastating story about a young woman who had wanted to be a mother for as long as she could remember. However, she was diagnosed with cancer just because of an elevated HCG level. She had gone thru chemo and a hysterectomy before it was discovered that she never had cancer at all. She's extremely devastated that she was misdiagnosed and will never be able to get pregnant and give birth to children. Several other women who went thru the same ordeal were interviewed for the same story. Read Cancer Misdiagnosed for further information.

From what I learned from this segment, if a woman has a false positive from that blood test, she should insist on a urinalysis for HCG which is more accurate than the blood test.

I hope other Hystersisters learn about this development and never have to go through this kind of ordeal.

Hi Java,
This is a very sad story indeed.
Its very hard to believe that this type of mis-diagnosis could happen in this day and age of medical technology.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
I would guess that this probably happens more times than is known about as well.
Maria

I saw that segment, too. My heart really went out to those poor women! I hope they are able to find peace of mind with all that's happened. What I thought was strange was that she called a lot of different doctors, and all said the same thing without suggesting any other tests first! Scary!

Hey, java, why don't you post this over on the hysterectomy options and alternatives board too. That might be where someone goes as well as here.

Those news shows make their ratings with medical horror stories that can distort things. I'd hate to have someone with cancer not listen to a doctor's good advice. But the fact there's a specific way around this is valuable information--because it's that confirmation we want.

I almost refused surgery, so I'm a little biased the other way. If my doctor hadn't twisted my arm in his sweet way, I could be in real trouble rather than cancer free two years later.

Hi.......I did not see the story, but am confused, was there not a D & C done before surgery to diagnose the cancer....and chemo ???????.....where was the pathalogy report. It is so disheartening to think that we trust our lives in the hands of these doctors.....who can be wrong, and then what?
Valentina