From Valleynewslive · · 1m 20s
Lung nodule missed for 3 years, now terminal cancer
A routine scan found an 8mm nodule in 2022, but the patient wasn't told until 2025 when it became stage 4 cancer.
In brief
A routine scan found an 8mm nodule in 2022, but the patient wasn't told until 2025 when it became stage 4 cancer. Always request copies of your medical imaging results and ask about any findings, even from routine screenings. Originally reported by Valleynewslive.
A nodule found, never reported
Shannon James had a cardiac scan in 2022 that found an 8mm lung nodule requiring follow-up within 6-12 months. Her doctor never told her.
Three years without action
Dr. Alexis Jesup never ordered the recommended CT scan. James returned for annual checkups in 2023 and 2024, but the nodule was never mentioned.
Symptoms dismissed as allergies
By July 2024, James had chronic cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Jesup attributed it to allergies and recommended antihistamines.
Another doctor finds the scan
In early 2025, pulmonologist Dr. Craig Schuring discovered the 2022 scan in James's chart. He immediately ordered a new chest CT.
The nodule became a tumor
The May 2025 scan showed a 3.1cm tumor, enlarged lymph nodes, and cancer spread to her bones. The 8mm nodule had become stage 4 cancer.
“Her prognosis is now terminal. She faces a lifetime of chemotherapy, progressive illness and loss of the life she had and expected.”
Treatment is palliative only
MD Anderson Cancer Center confirmed James's diagnosis is terminal and treatment is palliative, not curative. She's now suing for medical malpractice.
The short version
Always request copies of your medical imaging results and ask about any findings, even from routine screenings.
