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By Fiona Govan
(Filed: 24/01/2006)

Twenty-one women with breast cancer were wrongly given the all-clear after
being misdiagnosed by a radiologist in Manchester.

The delay in spotting the disease could "significantly alter" their
chances of survival, a report says.

One woman's breast cancer was noticed two years after she was cleared by
the consultant radiologist, whose work is at the centre of an
investigation.

The radiologist, who has not been named, was suspended after a review of
cases at the two hospitals where he worked. They are Trafford General and
the North Manchester General, both in Greater Manchester.

Concerns were first raised last April. After a sample review confirmed
cases of misdiagnosis the radiologist was suspended.

A total of 2,495 mammograms were recalled and re-checked, dating from
April 2003, when he joined the trust.

A report published yesterday by a panel of experts set up to check the
radiologist's work said that 176 patients had to be recalled. Of these, 28
women with breast disease were identified whose diagnosis had been delayed
as a result of misreporting of their mammograms.

Twenty-five were patients from Trafford General Hospital and three from
North Manchester General Hospital. Twenty-one were diagnosed with invasive
breast cancer, six had benign breast disease and one had a treatable
tumour. Delays of more than three months for the diagnosis of breast
cancer can have serious implications. Seventeen women had delayed
diagnoses longer than that period.

Dr Richard Campbell, the medical director at Trafford, said that those
patients had been told that the delayed diagnosis "might significantly
alter their prognosis". None had died.

Helplines for patients involved are available on 0161 455 0059 for
Trafford or 0161 656 1999 for North Manchester.