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Diagnosed with cancer, underwent hysterectomy, then learned the biopsy was not hers

Cassandra Barksdale says a tissue sample mix-up led doctors to diagnose aggressive uterine cancer and remove her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries; months later, DNA testing showed the cancerous tissue belonged to another patient

An apparent tissue-sample identification error led to a false cancer diagnosis and an irreversible surgery that was not medically necessary.

Cassandra Barksdale, from the Atlanta area, has filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente, alleging that a biopsy taken from another patient was mistakenly attributed to her, leading doctors to diagnose her with an aggressive form of endometrial cancer. Months after undergoing extensive surgery, the lawsuit says, she learned that the biopsy containing the malignant tumor actually belonged to another patient.


Barksdale went to Kaiser Permanente's Southwood Medical Center in Jonesboro, Georgia, in early 2025 after experiencing abnormal bleeding and uterine fibroids, common noncancerous growths. She underwent an endometrial biopsy on March 10, and a week later, on March 17, was told the test showed an aggressive, high-grade form of endometrial cancer.

According to NBC News, the sample was sent to an outside laboratory for pathology testing. Barksdale later underwent a CT scan that, according to the lawsuit, showed no signs of cancer. Nevertheless, based on the pathology findings and her previous medical records, she was referred to a specialist who recommended surgery.


On May 15, 2025, when she was 43, Barksdale underwent surgery that included removal of her uterus, cervix, both fallopian tubes and ovaries. Lymph nodes were also sampled during the procedure. The removal of her ovaries caused her to enter premature surgical menopause, the lawsuit alleges.

But tests performed on the tissue removed during surgery found no evidence of cancer. According to the lawsuit, postoperative pathology detected no malignancy in the endometrial cavity. Despite that finding, Barksdale continued for months to face uncertainty about her condition and was even told she might need chemotherapy.

'I even started making funeral plans'
Beyond the physical harm, Barksdale described months of fear that she was suffering from a life-threatening illness. She said the diagnosis also took a severe toll on her two sons, who fell into a deep depression after believing their mother had an aggressive cancer.
"I even started making funeral plans with them to let them know, you know, if I don’t make it out, this is what I want done," Barksdale said, according to The Associated Press.

Her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries were removed: all because of an error

The turning point came only in September 2025. According to the lawsuit, Barksdale was informed that DNA testing of the original biopsy showed that the tissue in which cancer had been detected was not hers but belonged to another patient.

Exactly how the mix-up occurred remains unclear. Her attorney, Shannan Young, said Barksdale entered the health care system looking for answers but left with "a diagnosis that did not belong to her," and that every step that followed was based on incorrect information.

According to NBC News, the lawsuit alleges that employees of the diagnostic company negligently handled the specimen before it was sent to an outside laboratory for testing. The laboratory itself is not being sued and is not accused of wrongdoing. It remains unclear exactly how the specimen identification error occurred.

The condition of the other patient is also not publicly known. AP noted that because of medical privacy laws, no details have been released about her, including whether the error delayed her cancer diagnosis or treatment.
Company apologizes, lawsuit demands accountability

In response to the case, Kaiser Permanente said, "Ms. Barksdale should not have experienced this."

The company added that it employs highly trained staff and has processes designed to prevent such errors, and said immediate steps were taken after the incident to prevent a similar case from happening again.

"We realize the impact of this incident and are committed to working with Ms. Barksdale and her counsel to resolve this in the most fair and accountable way we can," the company said.

The lawsuit was filed in Clayton County, Georgia, against several Kaiser Permanente entities as well as laboratory personnel who allegedly were involved in handling the sample. Barksdale is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.
It is unclear how often pathology samples are switched or mislabeled during medical testing.

According to AP, similar cases have previously been documented in the United States, and laboratories have adopted various safeguards over the years, including barcode systems for labeling specimens and procedures for identifying samples at the point of collection.

Young said that even if the lawsuit ultimately results in compensation, no amount of money can restore Barksdale's healthy organs or erase what she went through.

"There’s no amount of money that’s going to return back to her, her healthy organs, or erase the experiences and the pain that she’s had," Young said. "But our justice system recognizes that when somebody’s negligence harms another person, accountability requires more than 'I'm sorry.'"

Similar cases have also occurred in Israel. In 2014, ynet reported on a woman in her 40s who underwent a mastectomy after being told that cancer cells had been found in a test. No malignancy was found in the tissue removed during surgery, and subsequent DNA testing showed that the original sample containing the cancer cells was not hers but belonged to another woman.

Years earlier, in 2004, ynet reported on a 50-year-old woman who had her uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes removed after being told that she carried mutations associated with an increased risk of cancer. Repeat testing at another hospital later found that she did not carry the mutations, and she alleged in a lawsuit that the surgery had been unnecessary.

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh.

You are pained because you are offended by my remark that you are ignorant of the mediocrity in US and Occupied Palestine that their media always cover up from people like you so as to perpetuate your ignorance of their mediocrity.

When next you are offended, just remember my counsel to you that they are not better than you and clearly you are ignorant of why this kind of report matters.

You have been hating on President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) because of your religious/tribal bigotry and for defeating those who lost in 2023 and will lose again in 2027.

When you think others are better than you, it actually starts from poor upbringing and low self esteem passed on along the way when in reality no one or no race is better than the other.

When US President threatened the Iranians to send them to stoneage, the Iranians reminded him that when his ancestors where living on trees and feeding on flesh in Europe, they were already civilized Persia.

This is what some of us pride ourselves about that our civilization is not inferior or recent.

StrangeListing:
This is an absolutely terrifying and horrific nightmare. To undergo such a massive, life-altering, and irreversible surgery completely in vain because of a simple laboratory label mix-up is beyond devastating. The physical trauma of premature menopause and the psychological torture of planning her own funeral with her kids are scars money can never truly erase. Hospital and diagnostic labs must implement airtight barcode and DNA verification systems before performing any major surgery. Total accountability is needed here.

FreeStuffsNG:
On May 15, 2025, when she was 43, Barksdale underwent surgery that included removal of her uterus, cervix, both fallopian tubes and ovaries.

Similar cases have also occurred in Israel.
It occured in US and similar cases were reported in Occupied Palestine.
These are two regions that some people with low self esteem and inferiority complex hype. Smh.

US and Isreal happened to them back to back.

FreeStuffsNG:
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/rkg611yd8gg

Mindlog:
Your low self-esteem made you go scrub for the news and make a thread, to make you feel good about the poor healthcare system in Nigeria.

At least, this medical malpractice was investigated and outcomes made public. In as much as no amount of money would reverse the total abdominal hysterectomy she underwent, the US justice system would ensure she gets monetary compensation and licenses of the healthcare professionals who messed up her case, likely revoked.

Can such be said of Nigeria's medical landscape, where medical negligences are overlooked on a large scale, will similar case not end up with "at least Thank God you don't have cancer"

Tinubu still trusts his European healthcare team.😂😂😂

9jamustbegreat:
I'm not putting up a defense for the medical center but maybe the medical centre do have a high number of patients daily which can actually lead to a mix up. Mistakes do happen but they are rear unlike Nigeria where we have high level of negligence in many institutions.

Rebelutionary:
You and @FreestuffsNG are just being childish!

See OP trying to mix news and needless propaganda. What has Palestine and Co got to do with this unfortunate news biko?

And you are trying to force your bias down our throats contrary to what we already know: this unfortunate mix up happens and can happen anywhere because no system is foolproof.

Chimamanda went to a good private hospital (not a govt hospital mind you) in her estimation in Nigeria for medical attention for her kid and we know the unfortunate ending!

Stella Obasanjo went for a routine tummy tuck outside the shores of Nigeria and we know the unfortunate ending!

You both should give it a rest abeg!

Mindlog:
Your low self-esteem made you go scrub for the news and make a thread, to make you feel good about the poor healthcare system in Nigeria.

At least, this medical malpractice was investigated and outcomes made public. In as much as no amount of money would reverse the total abdominal hysterectomy she underwent, the US justice system would ensure she gets monetary compensation and licenses of the healthcare professionals who messed up her case, likely revoked.

Can such be said of Nigeria's medical landscape, where medical negligences are overlooked on a large scale, will similar case not end up with "at least Thank God you don't have cancer"

Tinubu still trusts his European healthcare team.😂😂😂

saintkel:
Wemy dad lost his hearing due to an overdose of a drug that was supposed to lower blood pressure...I was little then n I regretted y we didn't do anything about it till now

Mindlog:
There was a guy I was following on Instagram, he was diagnosed with skin cancer in Lagos in 2024 and started receiving treatment, he consulted a foreign oncologist for a second opinion and after going through his medical reccords, it was confirmed he was being given the wrong cancer medications all these while! 😭 😭😭😭

The guy died last month and sadly, there will be no repercussion for such medical malpractice.

Samuels90:
Nigeria is a country where everyone is left to themselves, so people generally speak about their experiences from what happened to them.

Everyone is entitled to speak about how they feel, and their situation, no matter what. If NTA staffs want to speak out they should do it, or get another job, nobody is forcing them to do the job, just like no one is forcing BBC staffs to do the job. I hope you are not making excuse for the Previous and current Governments though.

The country can still be redeemed, it is just managed by people who don’t care about its future.

FreeStuffsNG:
Smh.
Please stop consoling yourself after you have been out-competed here and forced to emigrate to where you are considered to be a 3rd class citizen.

Second opinion kọ, wrong cancer drug ni.

You can't even reach diagnosis on cancer over the phone without reviewing and conducting fresh tests and I am 100% certain that you have no clue about cancer pathophysiology and therapy.

What you wrongly mislabelled as skin cancer indicates that you do not know skin cancer alone is a basket of cancer types while each type is further divided into multiple sub types!

It is misleading to make bogus claims on a public forum on what you don't even understand.

This report is clearly heartbreaking for you not because of the numerous victims of covered up mediocrity in US and Occupied Palestine but because it exposes why you can no longer justify why you are enslaving in another man's land.