Georgia woman sues over wrong cancer diagnosis, unnecessary surgery

Key Points:

• Cassandra Barksdale, a 43-year-old Fulton County woman, filed a personal injury lawsuit against multiple Kaiser Permanente entities and a lab analyst after a mislabeled tissue sample led to an unnecessary total hysterectomy.
• Barksdale was misdiagnosed with aggressive endometrial uterine cancer based on a March 2025 biopsy, resulting in surgery in May 2025 to remove her reproductive organs and lymph nodes; later DNA testing revealed the cancerous tissue belonged to another patient.
• Post-surgery, Barksdale suffered emotional trauma, including suicidal thoughts and depression within her family, and has undergone mental health counseling due to the ordeal.
• The lawsuit alleges negligence and chain-of-custody failures, demanding compensatory damages over $10,000 and legal fees, with attorneys highlighting the rare and serious nature of such a medical error.
• Barksdale seeks accountability to prevent similar incidents, while Kaiser Permanente and the involved parties have been contacted for comment.