Mum diagnosed with lung cancer after doctor 'misread' scan and sent her home with antibiotics
A mother was diagnosed with lung cancer after a doctor 'misread' her scan and sent her home with antibiotics.
Victoria Powers, 34, from Great Wyrley, was told that her cancer had returned just weeks after celebrating being five years cancer-free.
She was given the all-clear on 23 December 2017 after undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a double mastectomy.
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However, five years later, the mum-of-one developed a cough late last year which wouldn't disappear.
On New Year's Eve, Victoria visited an A&E hospital in Wolverhampton to find out what was behind her cough.
After a CT scan she says she was given the 'all clear' by a doctor and was prescribed antibiotics.
But just a few days later, the 34-year-old said she went to a scheduled appointment with her breast surgeon who, after looking at the scan, found shadows across her lungs and liver.
Further tests confirmed the news that her cancer had returned and spread to her lungs, liver, lymph nodes and bones.
Sadly, the cancer is incurable.
"A doctor then told me that the CT scan was clear and I was sent home with some antibiotics. I had a routine appointment with my breast surgeon and he asked how I'd been," Victoria told BlackCountryLive.
"I told him what happened and he said that he'd check it all for me. Because it was my five-year check, I would have been discharged if he didn't find any issues.
"He went off and came in and told me that the CT scan I had on New Year's Eve in A&E wasn't clear and there were shadows on my lungs and liver.
"For them to have missed it when I flagged as an oncology patient, you think they would have noticed something on the lungs.
"Your risk of cancer returning is supposed to reduce as the years go on and I rang the bell to show five years clear in December 2022.
"And then a few weeks later I was slapped in the face after finding out it was back and had spread.
"I deteriorated in January when I was waiting for biopsy results and got weaker and weaker."
Victoria has undergone three cycles of chemotherapy so far and her eight-year-old son Jacob helped to shave her head prior to the treatment.
She said: "Jacob knows that I'm poorly but he doesn't know the extent of it. He helped my mum shave my head because that's a visible side to it so I wanted it explained to him.
"I have a line for my treatment, which he sees and he knows what it does. But as for the actual cancer, I don't talk about it in front of him."
The mum added: "My breast surgeon and oncologist are amazing and I couldn't knock them or any of the care I've had from them but it is just the A&E side of it."
Victoria's friend Jamie-Ann Edwards, 44, is now planning on completing the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge alongside friends Sarah Arnott, Jo Edwards and Gemma Williamson.
They have decided to raise money for Victoria through this and their GoFundMe page has already raised over £10,000.
Tyla has contacted the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for a comment.
Topics: Health
Anish Vij