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Surgeon's Hunch Saves Patient from Wrong Cancer Treatment
5 Jun
Summary
- A woman was incorrectly diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer that spread to her brain.
- A neurosurgeon suspected an infection, which was confirmed during surgery as a brain abscess.
- The patient recovered after receiving appropriate treatment for the infection, not cancer.
A woman, Lynda Bush, received a grim diagnosis of stage IV lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. Her condition appeared to be rapidly deteriorating, causing distress to her family. Bush was transferred to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, where neurosurgeon Dr. Jugal Shah reviewed her case. Dr. Shah's expert eye suggested the mass might be an infection rather than cancer, a suspicion confirmed during an exploratory surgery when pus was found.
It was determined that Bush had an odontogenic brain abscess, an infection originating from her tooth and caused by Streptococcus intermedius bacteria. This bacteria, common in the mouth, can rarely travel to the bloodstream and cause abscesses in the brain. The correct diagnosis and treatment for the abscess were critical, as treating it as cancer would have left the infection untreated and potentially fatal. Bush has since recovered well, underscoring the value of second opinions and patient advocacy in healthcare.
