HOUSTON – A woman has claimed she underwent unnecessary cancer treatments and removal of several organs — including a healthy kidney she was going to donate to her sister — after a Houston pathologist's alleged misdiagnosis.
Glenea Licona filed a complaint Dec. 10 in Harris County District Court against Dr. Susan Haley, THM Physician Organization doing business as Methodist Speciality Physician Group, TMH Physician Associates PLLC, alleging medical malpractice.
Licona was preparing to donate her kidney to her sister who was in need of a donor kidney, the complaint said. Licona alleged in her lawsuit that Haley examined her biopsy report on April 24, 2019, and diagnosed her to have an "extremely rare form of cancer" called retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma." Licona further alleged that when she had her biopsy report reviewed by a Houston Methodist pathologist and a Harvard Medical School professor of pathology in September of 2019, they found her to actually have a "benign smooth muscle-predominant angioimyolipoma" that could be treated with medication.
Licona claimed that Haley's misdiagnosis led her to undergo unnecessary chemotherapy, radiation and a pancreaticoduodenectomy — which included the removal of part of her pancreas, small intestine, gallbladder and bile duct. Licona also claimed she lost the ability to donate her kidney due to its removal.
The complaint stated that Licona is seeking monetary relief, trial by jury, interest and all other just relief. She is represented by Linda Laurent Thomas and Michelle Wan of Thomas & Wan LLP in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2020-79039