Extremadura Health Service to pay compensation for delayed cancer diagnosis

The Extremadura Health Service (SES) has been ordered to pay 110,003 euros in compensation to the family of a woman who died in May 2023 following a delayed cancer diagnosis.

The Legal Commission of Extremadura determined that there was a diagnostic delay contrary to medical standards. Although it could not be certain that earlier detection would have prevented her death, investigations revealed that a chest X-ray from November 2022 had already shown an 18-millimeter pulmonary nodule, which was incorrectly assessed as normal. Despite subsequent symptoms including respiratory difficulties and weight loss, the patient received various diagnoses for musculoskeletal pain before the advanced neoplastic process was finally identified in May 2023.