Ancona Woman Told She Had Cancer Due to Medical Errors
Ancona, Italy – A woman in Ancona was wrongly informed she had breast cancer due to a series of medical errors, including a mislabeled pathology report, and has been awarded damages, according to a ruling issued Friday, March 20, 2026.
The ordeal began in June 2018, when a routine ultrasound at the Loreto hospital revealed a nodule. A subsequent fine-needle aspiration was performed, and the sample sent to Torrette hospital for histological examination. The initial result indicated breast cancer.
During a follow-up visit in Ancona, the patient was presented with the pathology report, which bore the name of another individual. Despite this discrepancy, medical staff initially confirmed the cancer diagnosis and recommended surgical intervention. Concerned, the woman sought a second opinion.
A biopsy performed at a diagnostic center in Pesaro yielded inconclusive results after the sample was compromised due to improper preservation – reportedly, a technician had not properly sealed the sample tubes. Unable to obtain a definitive diagnosis, the patient then traveled to the European Institute of Oncology in Milan.
After three months of waiting, examinations at the Milan institute definitively ruled out the presence of any neoplastic lesions. The woman did not require surgery.
A civil court judge recognized the psychological distress caused by the erroneous diagnosis, classifying it as “acute post-traumatic stress disorder.” The court ordered AST, the local health authority, and the diagnostic center to jointly compensate the patient. The financial award totaled 4,225.86 euros, plus accrued interest, to cover temporary biological damage.
Natalia Boemi, the patient’s lawyer, stated that while her client did not suffer any permanent physical harm, she lived for months believing she had advanced cancer and fearing for her life.
The court determined that the doctor at the Loreto hospital acted appropriately, having only made a diagnosis and recommended further testing. Federica Guarrella, representing the doctor, clarified that her client had not stated definitively that a neoplasm was present, only that the situation was uncertain and required additional investigation.
The Loreto hospital recently inaugurated a new mammography unit and a health point, according to a regional health authority announcement from April 14, 2025, though this development does not appear to be directly related to the case.