In Germany, a doctor mistakenly referred 34 breast cancer patients for antibody therapy and chemotherapy, even though it was not necessary. The error was discovered after the treatment did not have the expected effect in two patients. This was reported by DW, writes UNN.
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The Gesundheit Nord (Geno) clinic network reported that 34 breast cancer patients were mistakenly referred for antibody therapy, and in some cases, chemotherapy, even though it was not necessary. Geno emphasized that the patients' prognosis likely did not worsen due to the incorrect treatment, but acknowledged that both antibody therapy and chemotherapy "are sometimes associated with serious side effects and potential long-term consequences."
According to Geno, the cause was an incorrect interpretation of tissue samples by an "experienced doctor" who worked in the pathology department of the Bremen clinic. This also affected patients from other hospitals for whom the clinic issued conclusions.
The series of errors was discovered by a gynecologist who noticed that in two of his patients, the tumors did not respond to treatment as expected. He ordered a review of the conclusions. According to the regional news program "buten un binnen," more than 500 results were checked, and 34 of them turned out to be erroneous.
All affected patients were informed, and the hospital management apologized to them. The doctor who made the mistakes was suspended from work. The Bremen prosecutor's office is investigating alleged negligent bodily harm.
It is noted that the same doctor also worked in the pathology department of the University Hospital Göttingen, where she was engaged not in breast cancer diagnostics, but in other tasks. Nevertheless, all recent conclusions of this specialist were also checked there, and no violations were found. But even in this clinic, the doctor was temporarily suspended from work until the investigation is completed.