Misdiagnosis of lichen sclerosus leads to a four-year delay in diagnosing pre-cancerous vulval condition

In June 2018, Anne Marie Taylor from Bromley in Greater London went to a gynaecologist from the Circle Health Group looking for treatment for her perimenopausal symptoms.  

In August 2019, she saw her gynaecologist at another follow-up appointment. Anne Marie flagged that she had noticed a white area on her right labia minora, which was also very itchy and uncomfortable. She was diagnosed with a chronic skin condition called lichen sclerosus, which can cause itchy patches of skin.  

Her gynaecologist prescribed her with Betnovate, a steroid cream and arranged to see her in six months.

When Anne Marie saw her gynaecologist in February 2020, she reported that her symptoms had not improved at all. However, her gynaecologist recorded that her lichen sclerosus was under control, discharged her from his care and did not see her again.  

Before her condition grew more severe, Anne Marie had enjoyed exercising and often did high-intensity HIIT workouts. However, within a year of starting the steroid cream, Anne Marie found that her symptoms progressed to a point where she was unable to exercise.  

She also recalls many nights where she was unable to sleep due to the pain and discomfort of her symptoms.  

She had a particularly bad flare up in February 2023 and by September 2023, her symptoms had spread to a point where even sitting down was causing significant pain and discomfort. Following a phone appointment with her GP in September, in which she reported that she was experiencing vaginal bleeding, Anne Marie was referred to the gynaecology team on the two-week wait cancer pathway.  

A gynaecologist at Princess Royal University Hospital found lesions on Anne Marie’s vulva which had never been biopsied, and she listed her for a local anaesthetic biopsy of the vulva.  

When her biopsy was studied, they revealed HPV-related high grade vulval intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN), a pre-cancerous condition where abnormal cells develop in the top layer of skin covering the vulva. High grade refers to the stage of the VIN and means that it was closer to becoming an invasive cancer.  

Anne Marie has since had two significant vulval excisional surgeries in December 2023 and May 2024 involving the removal of the pre-cancerous lesions. She now has an increased risk of vulval cancer in the future and the impact of the delay and subsequent surgeries have affected her mental health.

In April 2025, after Anne Marie instructed clinical negligence lawyers at law firm Leigh Day, the Circle Health Group admitted that there had been a delay in diagnosing Anne Marie’s VIN.  

Kriya Hurley represents Anne Marie in her claim against Circle Health Group.

Now Anne Marie is keen to spread awareness of the condition so that more women who may be affected can get the right diagnosis.  

Anne Marie said:  

“I hope my story will reach people who thinks this sounds familiar. I know my own body and I knew something wasn’t quite right.  

“No one thinks to check their vulva... It’s so important to do a bit of research and make sure that you advocate for yourself.”

Medical negligence solicitor Kriya Hurley said:  

“Unfortunately, as a result of an erroneous diagnosis of lichens scleroses, Anne Marie has had to suffer years of additional pain, anxiety and a worsening of her symptoms. When her condition was finally confirmed in 2023 as precancerous high grade VIN, Anne Marie had to undergo extensive vulval surgeries and now faces an increased vulval cancer risk in the future.”