Woman's cancer symptoms missed by GPs for two years

She went to the doctor over 20 times in one year, before finally being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Image: iStock

A young woman in her 20’s has lost her life because doctors did not further investigate her persistent anaemia, which was actually an insidious sign of colorectal cancer.

One GP has been found in breach of a New Zealand medical code, after missing several occasions to diagnose a local woman, who has since passed, with colorectal cancer.

The woman visited her doctor 25 different times in one year with persistent and worsening symptoms, which were not fully investigated, Stuffreports.

The woman, who was in her 20s, first went to the doctor in 2016 with anaemia, which then continued throughout 2016 and 2017. She had three doctors’ appointments throughout these years.

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In 2018 things worsened, and the woman attended the GP over 20 times. She was seen my many different doctors and nurses. She was getting iron injections, but the anaemia was not further looked into.

Her symptoms got more intense, and she went to the emergency department with back and abdominal pain. She was discharged but came back a few months later with abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

She attended one more time with a generalised sickness (like the flu) and haemorrhoids. Two different doctors managed her care from this point, treating her symptoms but not further investigating.

Image: iStock

On the final visit she was referred for a non-urgent ultrasound that was booked outside the usual four-week window. It was only when the woman went overseas and was admitted to hospital that she was finally diagnosed with stage four (now terminal) cancer.

Upon diagnosis she was sent to hospice care, as she was so unwell, and passed in a matter of weeks.

In the report on the woman’s medical history, the Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Deborah James was critical of how the two doctors at the end of the patient’s care handled their assessments. Just one of them, known as Dr D, was found in breach of the health code, but both were recommended to write apology letters to the patient’s family.

One of the major issues was that neither doctor had assumed ‘primary care’ of the young woman.

Image: iStock

She did admit that, "the complexity and chronicity of the woman's medical conditions" offered a difficult clinical landscape to “provide care and diagnosis”.

Both doctors have also been recommended to review their training on iron deficiency and audit all patients they’ve treated in the last year.   

Originally published as Woman's cancer symptoms missed by GPs for two years