Woman's cancer diagnosis after wrong smear results
A woman has expressed her anger after being diagnosed with cervical cancer more than two years after her smear test result was incorrectly recorded as normal.
Amie Wood, 39, from Bewdley, Worcestershire, had a smear test that was reported as negative by the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust in October 2019.
Although negative, it showed high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus that can lead to cancer, the HPV persisted and she was subsequently diagnosed with cervical cancer in January 2022.
The NHS trust said it expressed its regret and apologised to Ms Wood.
Following her diagnosis, Ms Wood had a hysterectomy.
Ms Wood said she suffered increased anxiety about her health, and felt unable to return to her part-time second job as a personal trainer.
"To be diagnosed with cervical cancer and undergo a hysterectomy was heartbreaking enough, but then I found out that my smear results had been misreported and it could have all been avoided," she said.
Source: BBC News, 28 January 2025