Doctors Apologize After Woman Undergoes Hysterectomy For 'Tumor' That Turned Out Not To Be Cancer

Doctors in the UK have issued a formal apology to a 32-year-old woman after she went through a hysterectomy to treat what was believed to be a cancerous tumor—only to later find out there was no cancer at all.

Rhian Butlin was told she had cancer on her 32nd birthday, but for several weeks following the diagnosis, there was confusion about exactly what kind of cancer she was dealing with.

Her medical nightmare began in September 2024. She had gone to her doctor complaining of intense abdominal pain. After an initial scan, doctors first suspected she might have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can cause similar symptoms.

But as the pain continued to worsen and her stomach started to swell noticeably, Rhian returned to the hospital. A more detailed scan this time showed a massive 25cm tumor on one of her ovaries.

According to a GoFundMe post written by her older sister Lindsey Rice, Rhian went through a rough and scary time leading up to the surgery meant to remove the tumor.

She had fluid buildup that had to be drained. She developed sepsis and was even placed in an induced coma at one point.

Rhian learned her biopsy results two months after her operation Getty Stock Photo

Once she recovered enough to go through with the operation, doctors removed not just the tumor, but also her appendix and part of the lining of her bowel. Biopsies were taken from all three areas during surgery.

Rhian was discharged to recover at home, but two months later, she was called back in by the hospital. That’s when doctors told her the results were in and that they had made a mistake. They now believed she may have had endometriosis, which can sometimes look a lot like cancer on medical scans.

"She didn't have ovarian cancer.. apparently they couldn't locate it .. so thought she must have colon cancer," Lindsey wrote in the fundraiser post.

Rhian later went in for a colonoscopy. According to Lindsey, that test confirmed Rhian was cancer-free. But despite the news, Rhian said she still didn’t feel like herself.

The very next day, she reached out to her doctor again. That’s when she was told she had cancer in her appendix after all.

Although her appendix had already been removed, the cancer had unfortunately spread. It reached her pelvis and lymph nodes, and within two months, it had turned into an aggressive stage four diagnosis.

Rhian is now facing three months of chemotherapy GoFundMe

Speaking with MailOnline, Rhian opened up about how the whole experience has taken a toll on her. She said: "I'm just emotionally drained. I'm constantly scared and some nights I barely sleep. It's just been a very scary journey, if I'm honest. Obviously, I've had a full hysterectomy when I did not need to."

"I've had my ovaries removed when I did not have ovarian cancer and I've had the lining of my bowel removed when I did not have bowel cancer. Then they did remove my appendix in December but it wasn't until months later that they found cancer there."

Rhian is a single mom, and now she's about to begin several weeks of chemotherapy. According to her family’s GoFundMe page, she’s simply not strong enough right now to do the things she normally does with her kids.

"She's everything to them . She brought them up from day one alone," the post reads. Lindsey is asking people to chip in and help build a small fund so the family can make some meaningful memories together during this incredibly tough time.

If you'd like to help support Rhian and her family, donations can be made through the GoFundMe link shared by her sister.