Doctor Mistakes Cancer for Benign Growth

Case Overview

This case takes place in Connecticut and involves a female patient who during a routine physical examination, was noted to have a vaginal nodule. She referred the patient to an Ob-Gyn, who examined her using a tool to pierce the mass. He concluded that the mass was a benign cyst and sent the patient home. At her next complete physical examination, her PCP palpated a large mass. Some time later, an ultrasound showed a mass on her bladder and at the level of her vagina and rectum. The mass was initially diagnosed as a begin growth. It was later determined to be a malignant tumor. She underwent external beam radiation therapy and radical surgery, which eventually resulted in the removal of multiple organs. Since the surgery, the patient’s prognosis has not improved, and she has suffered a substantial decrease in her quality of life.