Man dies after mesothelioma misdiagnosis and lung removal

United Kingdom - U.K. man John Turner was diagnosed with asbestosis and mesothelioma in 2006. The diagnosis turned out to be erroneous, and Turner died five months after the surgery. In the summer of 2006, Turner noticed that he was experiencing chest pains, and had been losing weight with no apparent cause. After visiting his family doctor, he underwent tests to determine the cause of the symptoms. X-rays and other test results were interpreted and gave Turner a diagnosis of asbestosis in his right lung, and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by repeated or heavy exposure to asbestos. When inhaled, asbestos fibers cause chronic irritation and inflammation in the lungs. Over time, this leads to the development of the scar tissue which is a characteristic of asbestosis, and which prevents normal lung function. Mesothelioma is a type of asbestos cancer which most commonly occurs in the lining of the lungs, and only occurs as a result of asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma often develops in people with asbestosis, as the cancer occurs due to mutagenic changes caused by asbestos fibers. Following his diagnosis of asbestosis and mesothelioma, John Turner underwent surgery to remove his right lung, a procedure which it was hoped would extend his lifespan by up to three years. However, when a sample of the removed lung was examined after the surgery, it was found to be healthy, with no signs of cancer at all. The lung had not needed to be removed. John Turner’s medical doctors withheld the information about the wrong diagnosis and unnecessary lung removal from Turner and his family. However, John Turner never completely recovered from the surgery, and died just five months later. Turner’s death is recorded as being from bronchial pneumonia. The disease is an upper respiratory tract infection which is a common complication of asbestosis, and also of the surgery Turner underwent. It was only after John Turner’s death that his family was told about the misdiagnosis of mesothelioma, and the wrongful lung removal. Deputy Coroner Alan Sharpe said the case tragically illustrates the problems which can occur when doctors do not communicate effectively, but says he cannot bring a “misadventure” verdict on the part of Turner’s medical team. In fact, mesothelioma is a cancer which is notoriously difficult to diagnose correctly, and this contributes to the cancer’s high mortality rate. Mesothelioma can be mistaken for other types of cancer which develop in the lungs, or even for non-cancerous diseases, and this can be a fatal misdiagnosis due to the aggressive nature of mesothelioma cancers. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)