Twenty patients had unnecessary mastectomies, while others suffered harm, review finds

Denise Howarth. Credit: Family Handout/PA Wire

By Jane Kirby, PA Media

Twenty women have undergone unnecessary mastectomies, while others suffered significant harm while under the care of an NHS trust.

A review of cases so far has found hundreds of patients have come to harm during treatment in the breast unit at the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT).

The trust, which has been the subject of a BBC investigation into its care, said it was currently reviewing breast cancer cases between January 2023 and February 2025, alongside those of 640 former patients who contacted a dedicated helpline.

Of 514 cases examined so far, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm, including 77 who suffered significant harm, it confirmed to the Press Association. One patient is known to have died.

Some cases have also been identified where cancer diagnoses were missed or delayed, leading to the disease spreading.

A board meeting of the trust next week will decide whether the review should be extended to review thousands more cases dating back to 2015.