Report on cancer misdiagnoses due next week

A REPORT investigating the circumstances that led to a woman with breast cancer being wrongly given the all-clear is due for publication on Monday.

The report, which also looked at the treatment of 24 other breast cancer patients, is being considered by the board of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) prior to publication.

The HIQA was commissioned to compile the report in May by Health Service Executive (HSE) chief Prof Brendan Drumm, after it emerged Tipperary woman Rebecca O’Malley, 41, had to have a mastectomy following a 14-month delay in diagnosing the cancer.

It has since emerged that at least another 28 medical records, involving 24 patients, formed part of the investigation, which focused on safety, quality and standards of HSE symptomatic breast disease services at the Midwest Regional Hospital in Limerick and pathology services at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Both hospitals are involved in the investigation because Ms O’Malley’s care was spread over both hospitals. However, the error in diagnosis occurred at CUH. Due to a backlog in Limerick, Ms O’Malley’s biopsy sample was sent to CUH.

The investigation, covering the period from January 1, 2005, to May 31, 2007, also set out to ensure best practice had been carried out and, if this was not the case, to identify any risks to the patient in the system. If risks were identified, then recommendations would be made to eliminate such risk, the HIQA said.

The report was expected in October but is understood to have presented a number of legal difficulties. The board of the HIQA will meet at the weekend before a decision is made on publication.

A HIQA spokesperson said it “would not be commenting on the findings of the report” prior to its publication. The HIQA investigation team included experts from Ireland and Britain, and representatives of patient groups.

It is a separate investigation to the review of Finnish pathologist Dr Antoine Geagea’s work at CUH in July and August this year. His work is being reviewed in Britain. Leaked reports suggest questions hang over his diagnosis of 15 patients whose biopsy samples were analysed at CUH.