Mumbai: Mum died of cancer due to Khar gynaec’s error, says kin

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The family members of a woman who succumbed to a rare type of uterine cancer have taken to social media, alleging that it was her gynaecologist's negligence during a surgery that led to the spread of the cancer and her eventual death.

The deceased patient's daughter posted on social media that they had gone to Khar-based Women's Hospital run by Dr Gayatri Rao for laparoscopic removal of her mother's fibroid. They alleged that their request for a biopsy before the procedure went unheeded. The fibroid was 20 cm long, they said, alleging that the surgery led to "spillage", which refers to spread of cancerous cells.

"We trusted her as a professional. A week after the surgery, the histopathology report stated that what was removed was leiomyosarcoma - an extremely rare and aggressive type of cancer," the patient's daughter posted on Instagram.

"If a lump is suddenly growing in a short span of time, then we opt for an open technique so that the fibroid is taken out intact without disturbing the surrounding tissue," said Dr Kavita Singh, affiliated to the Association of Gynaecologic Oncologists of India.

While mid-day's attempts to reach out to the family went unanswered, Dr Rao said, "There were no features suggestive of cancer before the surgery and there was no indication for open surgery as per established protocols. The patient had an unexpected diagnosis of... cancer."