Lucy Liu Claims Medical Malpractice After Scary Surgery Experience

Actress Lucy Liu has shared a personal account of a medical misdiagnosis from the 1990s that resulted in her undergoing an unnecessary surgical procedure.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE published on April 11, 2026, the 57-year-old actress detailed the experience of discovering a lump in her breast and the subsequent errors made during her medical care.

Medical Misdiagnosis in the 1990s

Liu recalled that after finding a lump in her breast, she sought medical attention. She stated that she didn’t really think too much about it at the time, but the experience eventually became scary.

According to the actress, her physician diagnosed the lump as cancer based solely on a physical examination. Liu explained that the doctor sort of felt the lump and said it was cancer.

The diagnosis was made without the use of standard follow-up tests or screenings. Liu noted that she did not receive an ultrasound or a mammogram to verify the nature of the growth before the diagnosis was delivered.

Trusting the professional assessment, Liu did not question the findings. She recalled thinking, Well, what’s the point? The doctor knows what they’re talking about.

Following the diagnosis, she immediately scheduled and underwent surgery to have the lump removed from her breast. It was only after the procedure that she learned the growth was non-cancerous.

Reflections on Patient Advocacy

Looking back at the event, the mother of one attributed her lack of questioning to the limited availability of medical information during that era. She noted that because the internet did not exist as a resource in the 1990s, there was less information available to patients.

I think that was the beginning of understanding how to advocate for myself.

Lucy Liu

Liu explained that in the moment she received the official diagnosis, she did not think to push for further testing or a second opinion.

Cancer Screening Awareness

This experience has informed Liu’s current work with Pfizer. She is partnering with the company for its Every Breakthrough Matters campaign.

The campaign is designed to raise public awareness regarding the necessity of early detection and the importance of proper cancer screening to avoid the types of errors she experienced.

Liu, who is currently involved in the production of The Devil Wears Prada 2, is using her platform to highlight how screening tools like mammograms and ultrasounds are essential for accurate diagnoses.