A major IT error that affected hospitals in the U.K. beginning in 2009 caused as many as 450,000 patients between the ages of 68 and 71 to miss breast cancer screenings, which could have resulted in up to 270 deaths, The Guardian reports.
Between 135 and 270 women "may have had their lives shortened as a result" of not receiving letters reminding them of their screening, which were due to be sent out automatically to older women registered with their general practitioners, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told The Guardian.
Now, the U.K. government has ordered an independent probe into the incident.
The problem stemmed from a National Health Services trial designed to find out whether extra screening would protect older women from breast cancer. Established in 2009, nearly 65 breast cancer institutes in England participated in the AgeX trial. However, a computer glitch discovered by Public Health England in January revealed final routine screenings for women randomly selected for the trial were cancelled before their 70th birthday.
Many families will be "deeply disturbed by these revelations," Mr. Hunt said, according to The Guardian. The potential their loved ones who recently died from breast cancer may have missed opportunities for early diagnosis is distressing, Mr. Hunt added.
Nearly 309,000 women who missed screenings are still alive and will be contacted before the end of May. The first 65,000 notifications will be sent out this week. Family members will have their concerns investigated and if the error is found to have led to their loved one's premature deaths, compensation may be payable.
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