Archive · 13 Nov 2025
Woman's Lung Removed After '99.9%' Cancer Diagnosis, Later Found to Be Pneumonia
Imagine a woman named Erica went to the doctor because her chest hurt.
The doctors thought they were almost totally sure, like 99.9% sure, that she had a very serious sickness called lung cancer.
Because they were so sure, they did an operation to take out a piece of her lung.
But, a little while later, they found out they were wrong.
The problem wasn't cancer at all!
It was actually an infection called pneumonia, which is like a bad cold in your lungs.
Pneumonia can usually be fixed with medicine, not surgery.
Now Erica has trouble breathing because a part of her lung is gone, and she's thinking about not working anymore because of it.
Erica Hay was told by doctors there was a 99.9% chance she had lung cancer after experiencing chest pain.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a biopsy could not be performed before surgery was recommended.
In September 2020, the lower lobe of Hay's right lung was surgically removed.
Two weeks post-surgery, Hay was informed that she did not have cancer and the mass was caused by pneumonia.
The surgery has resulted in Hay experiencing breathing difficulties and considering early retirement on health grounds.
- Who
- Erica Hay, a UK National Health Service (NHS) neonatal nurse assistant
- What
- Part of her right lung was removed due to a suspected cancer diagnosis, which was later found to be pneumonia.
- When
- Surgery took place in September 2020, with the subsequent diagnosis of pneumonia occurring two weeks later.
- Where
- South Yorkshire, UK (Doncaster Royal Infirmary)
- Why
- Hay experienced pain in her shoulders and chest, leading doctors to suspect cancer with high certainty. The actual cause was pneumonia.
Woman's Perspective
Medical Assessment
Initial Diagnosis Certainty
Woman's Perspective
Doctors were '99.9% certain' she had cancer after multiple tests, despite pandemic restrictions preventing a biopsy.
Medical Assessment
The mass in her lung was caused by pneumonia, not cancer, with the surgeon stating she was in the 'one per cent of people who didn't have cancer'.
Treatment Outcome
Woman's Perspective
Underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of her right lung, leading to breathing difficulties and consideration of early retirement.
Medical Assessment
The condition was likely an infection (pneumonia) which, in hindsight, could have been treated with medicine instead of surgery.
- Patient Name
- Erica Hay
- Procedure Date
- September 2020
- Organ Part Removed
- Lower lobe of her right lung
- Initial Diagnosis
- Suspected lung cancer (99.9% certainty)
- Final Diagnosis
- Pneumonia
- Patient's Profession
- Neonatal nurse assistant in the NHS for over 30 years