Florida woman sues hospital for removing cancer she never had

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A Florida woman filed a lawsuit against Florida Hospital Tuesday, compelling it to release documents allegedly revealing a lab mix-up resulting in a false cancer diagnosis.

The woman, listed on the lawsuit as Jane Doe, claimed she went to Florida Hospital Winter Park in December for a colonoscopy when someone mixed her results up with a man's that showed he had rectal cancer.

"I really thought I was dying for many months," she told the Orlando Sentinel.

Doe, 68, went back to the hospital Jan.14 and had part of of her rectum removed. Doctors went through with the procedure despite not being able to pinpoint the cancer in pre-surgery biopsies. On May 4, she said her doctor called to inform her she was not only cancer-free but never had cancer.

"I was euphoric. I felt like a big, heavy shroud had been taken away from me," she said. "I've still got the phone message. ... I've put the phone away so I won't lose it."

Doe said hospital managers met with her in August and were deeply apologetic, but would not release the records detailing the mistake and how they realized the error.

The hospital said it will not comment on pending litigation.