Seville Woman’s Breast Cancer Misdiagnosis Prompts Review Of 2,317 Andalucian Scans

A Seville woman, Anabel Cano, had a public-screening mammogram successful 2023 but was not called backmost contempt her consequence being flagged arsenic “doubtful.” Nearly a twelvemonth later she was recalled, diagnosed pinch breast cancer, and underwent a mastectomy. The Junta de Andalucía now acknowledges 2,317 women whose screening results request reappraisal aft connection failures.

Patient group Amama is preparing astir 260 ineligible claims complete alleged harm caused by delayed diagnosis. Regional authorities opportunity astir 90–96 per cent of affected women person already been re-examined and a “plan de choque” (emergency plan) is nether way.

How Anabel Cano’s lawsuit exposed nan crisis

Cano’s communicative became nationalist aft she said to Spanish broadcasters astir her experience. She told HuffPost Spain she had a regular mammogram nether Andalucía’s nationalist screening programme astatine 50 and was told that “if successful 10 aliases 15 days you don’t get a telephone aliases a letter, everything is fine.” No 1 contacted her, truthful she assumed nan consequence was normal.

Months later, she was called backmost and informed that nan original scan had been considered “dudosa” – a “doubtful” aliases “probably benign” image that should person triggered person follow-up. Cano described really this hold ended pinch a mastectomy and semipermanent psychological distress. Her grounds quickly went viral, and diligent groups began to inquire whether different women successful Andalucía had besides been near successful limbo aft “doubtful” mammograms.

Under Andalucía’s bosom crab screening programme, women successful nan target property group are invited for mammograms astatine regular intervals. If a scan appears normal, they are discharged; if a lesion looks suspicious aliases unclear, they should beryllium contacted for further imaging aliases biopsy.

According to an investigation by HuffPost Spain, much than 2,000 mammograms were labelled arsenic “dudosas” but not followed up correctly aft changes to soul procedures and IT systems. Staff successful immoderate hospitals reportedly believed caller systems aliases outer providers would return complete notifications, leaving immoderate women without a telephone aliases missive contempt abnormal aliases uncertain results.

In precocious October, Europa Press reported that 2,317 women had been identified arsenic needing a reappraisal of their screening, and that 1,778 had already undergone repetition mammograms. A later update reported that astir 90 per cent of nan pending scans had been completed and that nan integrated attraction pathway for bosom crab is being revised, including nan early usage of artificial intelligence successful screening.

The Seville-based relation Amama, which represents women pinch bosom cancer, has go a cardinal sound successful nan scandal. The group says it was alerted by aggregate members who reported delayed aliases missing follow-up aft suspicious mammograms and began to collate cases.

In November, El País reported that Amama is finalising 260 patrimonial claims against nan location government, alleging harm from precocious diagnoses, including deaths, mastectomies and psychological damage.

A ample systematic reappraisal and meta-analysis published successful nan BMJ recovered that moreover a four-week hold successful starting crab curen is associated pinch an accrued consequence of death, pinch researchers concluding that ‘each four-week hold to crab curen increases nan consequence of decease by astir 10 per cent.’

Why it matters for residents and expats successful Andalucía

For galore British and different overseas expats, Spain’s expected beardown nationalist healthcare strategy is 1 of nan attractions of surviving successful Andalucía. The Anabel Cano lawsuit does not mean that screening is ineffective – but it does show really susceptible patients tin beryllium erstwhile connection breaks down, particularly if they are unfamiliar pinch section procedures aliases struggle pinch Spanish.

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