A Bay of Plenty woman died recently as she is claimed to be misdiagnosed by her doctor. She claimed that the doctor repeatedly failed to diagnose her with breast cancer.

Ms. Caro Galloway, who has 2 children, Jarred, 11, and Jessica, 16, died on Monday reportedly of breast cancer which she was not properly diagnosed. Her death has ignited an investigation on the basis of her complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner about the misdiagnosis.

As she said earlier, she went to a medical centre in 2006 when she was having some pain under her right arm and the doctor treated her with hormonal problems. Later she noticed a lump on her breast but she was repeatedly advised by the doctor against getting it operated.

It was only in May 2008 that she was diagnosed with the disease after she received a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. But by that time the disease spread to an advanced stage and into her liver and lungs.

She complained in November last year that her life could have been saved had she been diagnosed on her first few visits to the medical centre.

The Health and Disability Commissioner has yet to take a decision and has not yet ruled out the complaint.