Woman's lung removed after cancer misdiagnosis

Erica Hay underwent surgery in 2020 after being misdiagnosed with lung cancer

A woman who had part of her lung removed after being misdiagnosed with cancer says she has been left with permanent respiratory problems.

Erica Hay, 53, underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of her right lung in 2020 after being diagnosed with suspected lung cancer.

However, the mother-of-three, from Balby, was told after the procedure that the mass in her lung had been caused by pneumonia and not cancer.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised to Mrs Hay for the distress and impact on her and her family.

Mrs Hay first went to A&E at Doncaster Royal Infirmary in July 2020 suffering with pain in her shoulder and across her chest.

After undergoing a number of tests, she said she was told doctors were "99.9% certain it was cancer".

However, she said, due to restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic, a biopsy was not carried out.

She said: "My first response was, 'I don't smoke', but the doctors said it didn't matter, 'you can still get lung cancer as a non-smoker'.

"I had to go home and tell my children and parents that I had cancer. I tried to be strong for them, but I just fell to pieces.

"You hear the word cancer and you automatically think you're going to die."

In September 2020, eight weeks after the initial diagnosis, Mrs Hay underwent open surgery to remove half of the affected lung and the surrounding lymph nodes.

"I was petrified, I was going into hospital by myself and was convinced I was going to die on the operating table, I messaged my friend in the morning and told her the funeral songs I wanted," she said.

Two weeks after the operation, however, she was told she did not have cancer and the mass was most likely the result of an infection.

Mrs Hay said she felt "inadequate" as a result of her breathlessness

She said since the procedure, she had been unable to walk long distances or exercise.

"I've had asthma since I was 17, but my respiratory problems have increased unbelievably since the surgery," she said.

"It's completely floored me. Just talking or walking into the kitchen can set my symptoms off.

"Sometimes I feel like my lungs are too heavy for my body, other times my breathing difficulties are so bad it's like I've had the operation again."

She added: "I am so very, very grateful that it wasn't cancer, but I had to go through all of that and know this is probably never going to get any better now.

"It affects my work, my daily living, and at times it makes me feel inadequate as a mum and a wife."

After the misdiagnosis came to light, Mrs Hay pursued a clinical negligence claim with Sheffield-based law firm Medical Solicitors.

A spokesperson for the company said neither of the hospital trusts involved admitted liability or causation, but the case had been resolved with a settlement.

Dr Nick Mallaband, acting executive medical director at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are sorry for the distress experienced by Mrs Hay and recognise the impact this has had on her and her family.

"This case took place during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which presented exceptional challenges and restrictions across the NHS. However, this does not lessen the importance of learning from what happened.

"Since that time, we have strengthened our clinical processes and communication with patients to ensure their concerns are heard and acted upon.

"These improvements are part of our ongoing work to help ensure something like this does not happen again."

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been contacted for a comment.