Doctors Unable to Diagnose Mom's Cancer Even After 15 Visits

Doctors failed to diagnose a mother's cancer even after she visited 15 times complaining about back pains, the Daily Mail reports.

Dianne Howell was informed by doctors she needed physiotherapy for poor posture and was referred to a specialist after 15 consultations. However, when the pain she was feeling became severe, she was confined to the hospital and was told that she was suffering from pancreatic cancer. The bad news is, because it took the doctors very long to diagnose her illness, it was found out that her cancer has already spread to her internal organs. As of late, Dianne's son is seeking action against the health center that treated his mother.

Luke O'Reilly has made a formal complaint against the medical center that treated his mother, Dianne. This was after Howell's pain started in January and her medical records showed she visited Lombard Medical Center at least 15 times between the months of April and August and saw five different doctors within her visits. The center sent Howell for tests - a chest X-ray and renal ultrasound. Her bladder, uterus and abdominal aorta were also tested.

Following his mother's initial diagnosis, Luke researched the Internet for answers pertaining to his mother's symptoms. He said: "When I typed my mother's symptoms into Google one of the first diagnoses is pancreatic cancer. I'm not naïve and I'm not suggesting that anyone can be diagnosed by looking at Google, but the symptoms were obvious. Mom lost 21 pounds in five months." At this time, Dianne's cancer has already spread to her liver, lungs and spleen and she passed away on November 19.

Dr. Andrew Parkin, a senior partner at Lombard Medical Center, said he was sorry to have learned about Dianne's passing but expressed that he cannot comment on individual cases.