Delay in diagnosing skin cancer

Mr B was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease and underwent a kidney transplant in 2007. Due to the immunosuppression treatment, he was subsequently kept under the care of the Dermatology team for possibly skin cancer. He began to notice a small lump above his eye and made an appointment with the dermatology clinic. No further action was taken for a further 3/4 months by which point the tumour had grown to the size of a golf ball.

Mr B underwent extensive surgery to remove the lump. Unfortunately the cancer could not be removed and continued to spread. Radiotherapy (resulting in his loosing his eye sight) was also unsuccessful and Mr B was informed that his conditional was terminal.

A claim was successfully brought against the Hospital for a delay in diagnosis of skin cancer resulting in a settlement of £40,000