When the Tumor Isn’t Yours: A True Story About Medical Error and the Power of Self-Advocacy

"When the Tumor Isn’t Yours: A True Story About Medical Error and the Power of Self-Advocacy"

There are moments in medicine that shake us to the core.

This is one of them.

A dear friend of mine—strong, resilient, navigating life while caring for her husband battling stage IV colon cancer—suddenly found herself at the center of her own terrifying health crisis. It started with something seemingly routine: a small fatty cyst on her leg that needed to be removed. Nothing urgent. Nothing alarming. Until the pathology report came back.

"Osteogenic carcinoma," they told her. A rare and aggressive bone cancer. The kind that usually means drastic treatment—chemo, radiation, even amputation.

The weight of that word—cancer—landed like a brick. Already caring for a terminally ill spouse, she now had to face the unthinkable for herself. Her doctors were insistent. The tumor was serious, they said. Life-threatening. Time-sensitive. They wanted to move fast.

But something didn’t sit right.

She wasn’t in denial. She wasn’t naïve. But her instincts whispered, “Slow down. Ask questions. Something doesn’t feel right.”

So, she called me.

As both her friend and a practitioner, I sat with her through the storm of fear, uncertainty, and pressure. Together, we took a breath. She asked for the slides. We reviewed the labs. And she decided to order something often overlooked in cases like this: a DNA analysis of the tumor.

Weeks later, the results came in.

It wasn’t her tumor.

Let me say that again—it wasn’t her tissue. It wasn’t her cancer.

Somewhere in the pathology process, a devastating mix-up had occurred. She spent nearly two months believing her life was over. That she’d lose her leg. That she’d leave her family behind while already living in the shadow of her husband’s diagnosis. And it wasn’t even hers.

This story is shocking. But unfortunately, it’s not unique. Medical error is one of the leading causes of preventable harm in healthcare today. And as terrifying as this was, it’s also a powerful reminder:

You must advocate for yourself.

We trust our healthcare systems—and most providers do care deeply. But even in the best systems, mistakes can happen. And when your gut is telling you something is off, listen. Get the second opinion. Ask for a repeat scan. Double check the biopsy. Ask for the actual slides. Question the plan. Bring in another set of eyes.

As a doctor, I want to empower you with that message.

As a friend, I want to shout it from the rooftops.

And as someone who walks daily beside patients in their most vulnerable moments—I want to give you permission to pause and investigate.

Because your life might depend on it.

My friend never had cancer. She never needed chemo. She never needed her leg amputated.

What she needed—was time.

Time to slow the process.

Time to ask for clarity.

Time to trust her intuition.

And now, she’s living her life again—fully intact, and even more committed to standing up for what she knows to be true.

So here’s my invitation to you: Speak up. Ask questions. Trust your gut. You are the expert on your body.

And when something feels wrong—it probably is.

If this story resonated with you, please share it. You never know who might be one second opinion away from saving their life.