Smear test results wrongly reported

Ms M had a routine smear test and was informed that the result was normal. Four years later, she had another smear test, which she was also told was normal.

Another few years later, she started to notice:

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• Irregular vaginal bleeding
• Bleeding after sex

Ms M saw her GP on a few occasions and eventually arranged an ultrasound scan on a private basis because she was so concerned about her symptoms. The scan confirmed that there was an abnormality on her cervix, and she was transferred to the NHS for further investigations, which confirmed that she had cervical cancer.

Ms M had treatment for cancer,including:

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• Chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
• Brachytherapy

Unfortunately, the treatment was not successful, and the cancer spread. Ms M even paid privately for more treatment,but the cancer was too aggressive and could not be treated.

Ms M tragically died two years after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

While she was having treatment, Ms M’s previous smear test results were reviewed, and it was found that they had been reported incorrectly. The results of both tests should have been reported as inadequate and not normal.

A smear test result is reported as inadequate when not enough cells from the cervix have been collected in the sample. Inadequate tests should be repeated. Ms M should have been told after both smear tests that she needed to go back for another test, but this did not happen.

If she had been recalled for another test, it would have confirmed that there were abnormal cells on her cervix. The abnormal cells would have been removed before cancer had developed, and Ms M would have had a normal life expectancy.

However,the abnormal cells were not detected and removed, which meant that they continued to grow and change until cancer developed.