Kerala woman wrongly diagnosed with cancer, given chemotherapy; loses all her hair, income

In medical empathy, a 38-year-old woman in Kerala’s Kottayam was ‘wrongly’ diagnosed with cancer underwent chemotherapy. The woman identified as Rajani who didn’t have cancer in real was wrongly diagnosed with having cancerous cells in her breast, following which she was given chemotherapy at the Kottayam Government Medical College and Hospital.

After undergoing chemotherapy, Rajani, who is the sole bread earner in the family, has lost all hair and suffers from a lingering discomfort that has stopped her from going to work, reported TOI.

In March, she was given so-called treatment, but the incident came to light only after the woman raised a complaint with the hospital. According to reports, Rajani went to the hospital after she developed a lump of her breast. Two of her breast samples were collected and one was sent to a private laboratory near the hospital and another to a government facility.

Doctors who received the wrong report from the private lab decided to subject her to chemotherapy. Meanwhile, after the first session of chemotherapy was done, doctors received second reports from the hospital itself which said there was no malignancy in the lump.

After which she took another round of tests, which also confirmed that Rajani doesn't have cancer. She then took the latest results to the hospital. However, second chemotherapy was cancelled but it was too late as Rajani had already lost all her hair. She became weak.

Rajani told TOI that she has an 8-year-old daughter and her ageing parents living with her. Kerala Health Minister has ordered an inquiry into the incident and asked for a report.

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