Lawsuit Says Oregon Woman’s Brain Tumor Sample For Biopsy Lost

An Oregon woman has sued a Portland hospital for $900,000, alleging that a brain tumor sample set aside for biopsy has been lost, leaving her uncertain about whether the tumor was cancerous.

Catherine Stewart is seeking $100,000 in economic damages for past and future brain scans and possible surgery and $800,000 in non-economic damages for emotional distress. She’s accusing Oregon Health & Science University of medical negligence.

The Oregonian newspaper reported that hospital spokeswoman Tamara Hargens-Bradley declined comment about the lawsuit filed recently in Multnomah County Circuit Court, citing federal privacy laws.

Stewart’s lawyer, Robert Wagner, says the sample was collected in September 2013 when surgeons removed a brain tumor. He says his 64-year-old client has undergone brain scans twice a year to determine if the tumor has grown back and whether doctors will need to perform brain surgery again. So far it has not, but Wagner says Stewart worries that it might – and that it might be cancerous.