Rachel Pickett sues Top End GPs, radiologists after breast cancer spreads to liver, brain

The northern suburbs woman says despite chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy and mastectomy, the cancer has now spread to her liver and brain. Read why she’s suing her GP.

Ms Pickett claims she first noticed the lump in June 2019 and consulted Dr Evans at the Arafura Medical Clinic. Picture: Stock

A Darwin woman who claims her GP failed to diagnose a cancerous lump in her breast that has since metastasised to her brain is suing the former Palmerston medico for medical negligence.

Rachel Pickett has filed a statement of claim in the Supreme Court naming Victoria Evans, along with fellow GPs Valentina Olakengal and Israt Hafiz and radiologists Anthony Lamont and Ahmed Bilal as defendants in the suit.

In it, Ms Pickett claims she first noticed the lump in June 2019 and consulted Dr Evans at the Arafura Medical Clinic who referred her for a breast ultrasound at Territory X-Ray Services.

She claims the results of that ultrasound were “atypical for a benign lesion” and both Dr Lamont and Dr Evans failed to order a biopsy to “exclude the possibility of malignancy”.

In September, Ms Pickett consulted another GP at the same clinic, Dr Olakengal, who she claims instead of referring her to a breast surgeon for an opinion, “reassured (her) that the lump was benign”.

Rachel Pickett has filed a statement of claim in the Supreme Court naming Victoria Evans, along with fellow GPs Valentina Olakengal and Israt Hafiz and radiologists Anthony Lamont and Ahmed Bilal as defendants in the suit. Picture: Google

Five months later, according to her statement of claim, Ms Pickett consulted a third Arafura GP, Dr Hafiz, telling her “the lump felt as though it had increased in size”, and was referred for another ultrasound.

In April 2020, she claims Dr Bilal told her the now “slightly exaggerated” lump was “most likely a (non-cancerous) fibroadenoma”.

Ms Pickett claims Dr Hafiz and Dr Bilal both also failed to order a biopsy before she returned to Dr Evans a few days later, who told her the lump looked “a little bigger” and recommended “a follow up in three months’ time”.

In November 2020, according to the statement of claim, Dr Bilal performed a third ultrasound, telling her it had “quite significantly increased in size” and was now “quite concerning at this stage”.

According to the statement of claim, the following day Dr Evans ordered the biopsy that confirmed the lump was an “invasive breast duct carcinoma” which later scans revealed had metastasised in Ms Pickett’s spine and hip.

“(Ms Pickett) has (since) undergone ongoing treatment including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy and mastectomy of her right breast,” it reads.

Ms Pickett has filed a statement of claim in Darwin's Supreme Court. Picture: Che Chorley

“Despite these treatments, metastatic disease has spread to (her) liver and brain.”.

In her defence filed with the court, Dr Evans said she did not receive the first ultrasound report as she was overseas at the time.

She said she had recommended a biopsy in April 2020, but Ms Picket was “reluctant” due to Covid-19 concerns.

Dr Evans said the further ultrasound was agreed “by way of compromise” with a biopsy to occur three months later if Ms Picket “remained concerned about her condition”.

In his defence, Dr Lamont denied making a finding that the lump was a fibroadenoma or that not referring Ms Pickett for a biopsy was a “failure” on his part.

In her defence Dr Olakengal said she offered to order a biopsy “straight away” in September 2019 but Ms Pickett’s “preferred option was to keep watch and come back in one month for review”.

In her defence Dr Hafiz said Ms Pickett told her “she had a breast fibroadenoma” and she ordered an ultrasound, asking her to come back for review a week later.

In his defence, Dr Bilal said the lump “had features typical of fibroadenoma including a posterior acoustic enhancement” in April 2020.

“Based on (Ms Pickett’s) age, the relatively small growth of the mass, the risk of interobserver variance, the posterior acoustic enhancement and the lack of enlarged axillary lymph nodes it was reasonable for (Dr Bilal) to recommend a reassessment in three months with a further ultrasound,” it reads.

All five defendants deny any negligence.