Researchers in the United States conducted a study "to identify errors in surgical pathology practice that lead to malpractice claims, and to define the frequency and severity of pathology malpractice claims and discuss the implications. Three hundred seventy-eight pathology malpractice claims reported to The Doctors Company between 1998 and 2003 were reviewed. Nuisance claims and autopsy claims were excluded; the 335 remaining claims were analyzed. Pathology claim frequency is low."
"Pathology claim severity is high, especially for claims involving a misdiagnosis of melanoma or a false-negative Papanicolaou test. Fifty-seven percent of claims involved the following 5 categories: breast specimens, melanoma, Papanicolaou smears, gynecologic specimens, and operational error," explained D.B. Troxel and colleagues, The Doctors Company.
"Sixty-three percent of claims involved failure to diagnose cancer, resulting in delay in diagnosis or inappropriate treatment. A false-negative diagnosis of melanoma is the single, most common reason for filing a malpractice claim against a pathologist."
The researchers concluded, "Nearly one third of misdiagnoses involve melanoma misdiagnosed as Spitz nevus, 'dysplastic' nevus, spindle cell squamous carcinoma, atypical fibroxanthoma, and dermatofibroma."
Troxel and colleagues published their study in Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (An insurer's perspective on error and loss in pathology. Arch Pathol Lab Med, 2005;129(10):1234-1236).
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