Testing mistake allegedly caused unnecessary surgery before patient learned cancer diagnosis was incorrect.
An Atlanta woman has filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente after an alleged testing mistake led to the removal of her reproductive organs for cancer she did not have. According to the complaint, Cassandra Barksdale underwent major surgery after being told she had an aggressive form of uterine cancer. Months later, DNA testing reportedly showed the cancer sample belonged to another patient. The lawsuit says Barksdale first sought medical care in January 2025 because of heavy bleeding and uterine fibroids. After medical testing, she received a phone call in March informing her that she had a fast-growing form of endometrial cancer. Based on that cancer diagnosis error, doctors told her surgery was necessary.
On May 15, Barksdale underwent a hysterectomy. During the operation, doctors removed her uterus, cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and four lymph nodes. According to the lawsuit, the results from the tissue removed quickly raised questions. The pathology report stated that no cancer cells were found in the samples that had been taken from her body. Another pathology report taken a few days later also found no signs of cancer. Despite those findings, the lawsuit claims Barksdale received conflicting information from her medical team in the weeks that followed. According to the complaint, she was told in June that there was no evidence of cancer, but during another appointment a month later, she was informed she did have the disease and should begin chemotherapy.
The lawsuit claims Barksdale spent the next several months searching for answers while receiving little meaningful information about her condition. Then, during a meeting with Kaiser Permanente administrators on September 23, 2025, she was reportedly given an explanation for what had happened. According to the complaint, DNA testing found that the tissue sample originally identified as containing aggressive uterine cancer did not belong to Barksdale. Instead, the cancerous specimen reportedly came from a different patient. A lab document included in the lawsuit states that the specimen belonged to another individual and that the test had been canceled.
Barksdale’s lawsuit argues that the cancer diagnosis error permanently changed her life. Because her ovaries were removed, she entered menopause following the surgery. The lawsuit also says she lost the ability to have another biological child, a decision that was taken away after receiving what she believed was a life-threatening diagnosis.
Her attorney, Shannan Young, said the case extends beyond a medical mistake. According to Young, the lawsuit centers on a patient’s right to make informed decisions about medical treatment. The attorney said Barksdale agreed to surgery because she believed she had an aggressive cancer and her choice was based on being given incorrect information and limited options as a result. The lawsuit also claims she continues to deal with emotional suffering connected to the experience as a whole.
Kaiser Permanente acknowledged the incident in a public statement. A representative said the organization understands the lasting effect the error has had on Barksdale and stated that she should never have experienced such an event. The healthcare company said it has trained staff and detailed safety procedures designed to prevent mistakes like this. The statement also said immediate steps were taken after the incident to reduce the chance of a similar error happening again. The company added that it is committed to working with Barksdale and her legal team to reach a fair resolution.
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