Twenty women have had mastectomies they did not need while undergoing breast cancer treatment at the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT) in north-east England, the trust has confirmed to the BBC.

This admission follows earlier revelations of serious failures within the trust's breast unit, which have impacted hundreds of patients. The trust's new chief executive, Steve Russell, has issued an unreserved apology for the harm caused, stating that the events were "utterly unacceptable."

Dozens of affected women and their families have come forward, describing the shock and distress of learning that a mastectomy could have been avoided. Many are still dealing with the ongoing psychological and physical pain. Some former patients have formed support groups and are advocating for a public inquiry.

The CDDFT is currently conducting an internal review of breast cancer cases treated between January 2023 and February 2025. This review also encompasses cases from 640 former patients who contacted a dedicated helpline. So far, out of 514 cases examined, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm, with 77 experiencing significant harm. Tragically, one patient's death has been linked to these failures, and some cancer diagnoses were missed or delayed, leading to the spread of disease.

There is an imminent decision expected on whether to broaden the scope of the review to include cases dating back to 2015, which could potentially involve re-examining up to 10,000 medical records. The National Crime Agency, in collaboration with Durham Police, is investigating allegations from former patients to determine if any criminal offenses have occurred.

Denise Howarth, a 51-year-old from Consett, County Durham, is one of the women who discovered her mastectomy was unnecessary. Diagnosed with grade 1 cancer in 2023, she initially had a lumpectomy, followed by a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. She described her shock and subsequent tears upon receiving the news from the NHS in September 2025 that a second lumpectomy might have been a viable alternative to full breast removal.

The trust's internal review has identified a range of harms, including missed or delayed diagnoses, which in some instances allowed cancers to progress. The scale of the review and the potential for re-examining a decade's worth of records highlight the significant systemic issues that may have contributed to these patient safety failures.

Families of affected patients have also expressed their anguish, with some calling for greater transparency and accountability from the healthcare provider. The ongoing investigations by the National Crime Agency and Durham Police signal the seriousness with which these allegations are being treated, potentially leading to further scrutiny and legal consequences for the trust.