Nationwide — Cassandra Barksdale, a 43-year-old African American woman from Atlanta, Georgia, has filed a lawsuit after a laboratory error allegedly caused doctors to misdiagnose her with aggressive cancer and perform a total hysterectomy she says was unnecessary.
Barksdale visited Kaiser Permanente Southwood Comprehensive Medical Center in Jonesboro in early 2025 for treatment related to uterine fibroids and bleeding. After undergoing a biopsy on March 10, doctors told her the results showed she had aggressive endometrial uterine cancer.
Based on the diagnosis, Barksdale was referred to Northside Hospital, where she underwent a total hysterectomy on May 15, 2025. The surgery removed her uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and four lymph nodes as doctors treated her for what they believed was cancer.
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the lawsuit states later testing showed that Barksdale’s tissue did not contain cancer. She said she remained unaware of the mistake until September 2025, when Kaiser Permanente officials informed her that DNA testing revealed the cancerous sample came from another patient.
The lawsuit claims the tissue sample belonged to a different patient who had advanced cancer but did not know about the diagnosis. Quest Diagnostics later contacted Barksdale in December 2025 and advised her to disregard the original biopsy results.
Barksdale filed the lawsuit in Clayton County State Court against Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company, and laboratory analyst Cecelia Prestridge. The lawsuit accuses the medical providers and lab staff of negligence and failing to properly identify and handle patient samples.
During a press conference, Barksdale said the false diagnosis caused overwhelming fear and emotional trauma. She said she told her children she believed she had only a few years left to live and began making plans for their future because she thought she had terminal cancer.
Although Barksdale felt relieved after learning she was cancer-free, she said she was also concerned about the patient whose cancer diagnosis was missed. She said the experience affected her mental health and that she sought counseling after the ordeal.
“I want accountability and I also want what happened to me; I don’t want it to happen to no one else,” Barksdale said.
Her attorneys said the case highlights a serious failure in patient identification and sample tracking. They are seeking compensation for the physical and emotional harm Barksdale experienced.
Kaiser Permanente acknowledged the error and said it took steps to prevent similar mistakes from happening again. The company said it is working with Barksdale and her legal team to resolve the matter.