Ovarian cancer delays leading to big payouts for damages Early diagnosis of ovarian cancer is rare with a third of cases diagnosed in A&E. Photograph: Alamy Doctors' failure to diagnose ovarian cancer in women, some of whom later died from the disease, is leading to damages payouts of as much as £550,000, research reveals. Patients can experience a delay of up to several months before a GP or hospital doctor diagnoses the condition, according to a review of cases undertaken by the Medical Defence Union (MDU), which represents doctors accused of negligence. Some women with ovarian cancer have been wrongly diagnosed with other conditions, such as anaemia, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome, the MDU found. Ovarian cancer poses "a significant diagnostic challenge" to doctors because many of its symptoms are the same as those in other conditions, it said. The MDU examined 209 complaints made against doctors involving the disease between 2002 and 2011. In 84% of cases a delay in diagnosis was alleged. "In the majority of cases the doctor was accused of making an incorrect diagnosis, although failing to exclude ovarian cancer when there was a family history of the condition and delays in referring patients for tests or to a specialist were also factors," said Dr Rachel Sutcliffe, an MDU medico-legal adviser. Sadly in at least 59 cases where the outcome was known, the patient died from the cancer. The 209 complaints led to 71 claims against doctors. Of the eight that have been settled, damages payments ranged from £9,000 to £550,000. Seven of the eight involved a delay in diagnosing ovarian cancer. Compensation is for a patient's reduced chances of survival, additional pain and suffering and financial loss, such as loss of earnings. About 6,500 women develop ovarian cancer every year in the UK, and more than 4,000 die as a result. Early diagnosis is vital to a woman's chances of surviving for at least five years. Sutcliffe said ovarian cancer is hard to spot because it is "a chameleon disease where typical symptoms, such as stomach pain and bloating, are very similar to those of other common conditions." For example, it was several months before one woman was diagnosed because of her history of gastrointestinal problems, which her doctor thought were the cause of her symptoms. Even a large ovarian tumour can produce no symptoms, she added. "It is understandable for patients and their families to feel that an opportunity has been missed when doctors do not initially make the correct diagnosis but given the non-specific nature of the symptoms, failure to diagnose ovarian cancer is not necessarily negligent," said Sutcliffe. But ovarian cancer is so serious that any doctor considering it as a possible diagnosis should always refer a patient for further assessment, treatment or tests, especially if their condition does not improve. Gilda Witte , chief executive of the charity Ovarian Cancer Action, said National Institute of health and Clinical Evidence (NICE) guidelines produced last year were designed to improve diagnosis. A woman aged over 50 who presents with any of four major symptoms of ovarian cancer should automatically be referred for a CA125 blood test to identify it, for example. Early diagnosis of the disease is rare, said Witte. Diagnosis of ovarian cancer isn't great. A third of cases are diagnosed in A&E, for example," Witte added. But the hope is that GPs' knowledge and awareness of the symptoms will gradually improve. National awareness campaigns were needed to educate both doctors and women, she said. Professor Sir Mike Richards, the government's national cancer director, said ovarian cancer was one of several forms of cancer for which high rates of late diagnosis had prompted the Department of Health (DH) to take action to reduce the death toll. The coalition is seeking to prevent an extra 5,000 cancer deaths a year by 2015. Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose and that is one of the reasons why we are providing over £450m over four years to support earlier diagnosis of cancer. This money will fund a range of activity, including awareness campaigns and increasing GP access to diagnostic tests such as non-obstetric ultrasound to support the diagnosis of ovarian cancer," he said.