Last night’s BBC
Panorama programme reported that significant numbers of women who are patients of the Bradford NHS Trust might have been put at risk of recurrence of breast cancer . A study by Professor Michel Coleman found that some women were far less likely to be given radiotherapy after surgery to remove the tumour. Professor Coleman reported that about 150 women did not get radiotherapy as expected in the years 1988 - 1998.
Radiotherapy statistics
The Trust recognises that there was a lower than average referral rate for radiotherapy in the period 1982 - 1994 and low referral rates from 1995 onwards, and has said that the surgeon in charge of the team in question was concerned over the effects of radiotherapy. The Trust disagrees with Professor Coleman’s finding that the lower rates of radiotherapy may be linked to a higher death rate. Both Panorama’s makers and the Trust employed expert statisticians to re-examine Professor Coleman’s work, who have come to different conclusions.
Breast cancer experience
Leigh Day & Co have considerable experience in cases involving diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Two of our most prominent cases, which helped to raise the awareness of young women with breast cancer, were the cases of
Ruth Picardie and
Beth Wagstaff. These two women were in their early 20s, with young families, when they were finally diagnosed with breast cancer. They both died because their cancer was not picked up early enough and tragically, their deaths could have been prevented.
The Lavender Trust
The two women set up a charity,
The Lavender Trust, to help other young women affected by breast cancer, because although their friendship was brief, the support they were able to give each other was invaluable. Ruth and Beth realised just how important this shared experience could be to other women of their age with breast cancer.
If you would like to talk to someone in the clinical negligence department about a possible misdiagnosis of, or delay in the treatment of breast cancer please contact
Anne McCrea on 020 7650 1200.
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