Woman says doctors misdiagnosed her with cancer after undergoing weeks of chemotherapy

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX/Gray News) - A Texas woman is sharing her life-changing experience after she says she was misdiagnosed with cancer.

Lisa Monk said in 2022 her life took an unexpected turn when she sought medical attention for what she suspected were kidney stones causing her stomach pains.

But this visit kicked off a difficult medical journey she said challenged her physically, emotionally and financially.

According to Monk, a routine CT scan initially confirmed her suspicion of kidney stones, but it also revealed something far more alarming — a mass on her spleen.

In January 2023, Monk underwent surgery to remove the spleen mass, expecting to receive a diagnosis and begin treatment for her condition.

However, a series of events followed that she said turned her world upside down.

“They said I had clear cell angiosarcoma, which is a blood-type cancer,” Monk said.

The wife and mother of two said doctors in the Houston area delivered the gut-wrenching prognosis of just 15 months left to live.

Monl said she embarked on a grueling journey of chemotherapy and hospitalizations as she fought what she believed to be a battle against cancer.

But in April 2023, a twist of fate revealed a startling truth. Monk said the hospital had made a grave error.

During a routine follow-up appointment, a nurse practitioner stumbled upon the misdiagnosis. It was revealed that Monk never had cancer in the first place.

“I underwent a total of two rounds of chemotherapy and the Friday before I went in for my third round, I went to visit my doctor and just again, a routine appointment, just checking in before we go in for round three,” Monk said. “The nurse practitioner was reading my file and talking to me, asking me about all my symptoms, all the nausea and vomiting and all the things that come with chemo.”

Monk added, “She just suddenly stopped talking and she got a horrified look on her face. She said she had to get the doctor real quick. She ran out of the room, left me alone for about 15 minutes and the doctor came back in and told me that I never had cancer.”

According to Monk, the facility gave her a report showing that she was cancer-free.

“They had ordered a second pathology, it’s their policy to do their own in-house. So, when they did that, that was the result. My spleen was just going to rupture. I had blood vessel activity in my spleen and that was all it was. It was never cancer,” Monk said.

Monk said what’s even more frustrating is knowing that the mistake could have been avoided after additional lab work was done.

“It was dated a whole month prior. I had received an entire second round of chemotherapy two weeks after they had received the second pathology report,” she said.

The mother of two said she had to deal with the psychological trauma of the misdiagnosis and the financial strain of medical bills.

“It wasn’t just me that went through all of this. I am a mom, I’m a wife, I’m a sister, a daughter, a friend,” Monk said. “My children were preparing for my death. I was writing goodbye letters to them for the graduations that I wouldn’t be at, the babies that I would never see, and the weddings that I would never attend.”

While relieved not to have cancer, Monk doesn’t want anyone else to go through the unnecessary medical procedures and emotional journey.

In the aftermath of her ordeal, Monk has shared her story on social media, shedding light on the critical issue of diagnostic mistakes in the healthcare system.

“It makes you wonder how many other mistakes are out there. How many times has someone been misdiagnosed or how many reports are sitting in someone’s inbox not being read because the doctors are too busy or there’s too many tests being run?” Monk said. “I don’t think that I can change the world because frankly, I don’t think I’m that special. But maybe I change their policies.”

According to Monk, the doctor or the hospital has not taken accountability for what she and her family have gone through.

“They told me congratulations. They never said we’re sorry that you went through this. We’re sorry that your family went through this,” she said.

Monk said the entire situation has been a roller coaster of emotions.

“I’ve never been so relieved and angry at the same time,” Monk said. “We still have a lot of healing to do. Physically I’m still healing from chemo and it’s hard to get those answers because there’s no research out there on people like me.”

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