Georgia woman sues after alleged lab mix-up leads to cancer diagnosis, hysterectomy

A 43-year-old Georgia woman has filed a lawsuit after she says a laboratory mix-up led to a misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery. Fox 5 in Atlanta says Cassandra Barksdale sought treatment at a Kaiser Permanente facility for uterine fibroids and internal bleeding, but a mislabeled tissue sample allegedly resulted in an incorrect diagnosis of endometrial cancer. The lawsuit says she underwent a hysterectomy that included removing her cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and four lymph nodes. She is seeking compensatory damages and a jury trial. The station reports that Kaiser Permanente “acknowledged the severity of the error” and that the health system is working to resolve the case.