Twenty women have had unnecessary mastectomies while receiving cancer treatment at a hospital trust in the UK's National Health Service NHS in North East England, the BBC has reported. The case concerns County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT), which has admitted that the breast removal operations in these cases were not medically necessary.
According to the BBC, the patients are part of a wider review of care at the specialist breast cancer treatment facility, which has also found other cases of harm to patients. The issues being investigated also include delayed diagnoses, repeat operations and practices that did not meet good medical practice recommendations.
What has been confirmed so far
The CDDFT has confirmed to the BBC that 20 patients were treated with unnecessary mastectomies. The media outlet also reports that the trust is reviewing cases from January 2023 to February 2025, as well as reports from hundreds of former patients who contacted a special helpline.
The publication states that the review also covered a practice in breast cancer surgeries that experts say led to a higher than expected number of repeat interventions. The BBC also cites allegations that some of the procedures were carried out too quickly or without sufficient justification.
How the NHS trust responded
According to the BBC, the hospital has admitted to the shortcomings and has launched an internal investigation. Affected patients have been told to contact a dedicated support team, and the trust has also set up a hotline for people with concerns about their treatment.
There is no indication that the UK authorities have announced any criminal action. More details about the extent of the failures, the number of patients affected and the results of an internal review are likely to be released in the coming days.
Context
The case comes against the backdrop of a wider debate about the quality and equal access to breast cancer treatment across England. The latest national cancer care reports show that repeat operations and variations in surgical practice remain among the problems in the system.
Mastectomy is one of the main surgical procedures for breast cancer, but its implementation must be based on clear medical indications and an individual assessment of the case. That is why the recognition of unnecessary operations causes a strong public response in the UK.
Sources: BBC News, NHS, County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust