The Head of Services and Advocacy with the Irish Cancer Society has said a greater focus must be put on patient-centred care.
Professor Donal Buggy's comments follow an RTÉ Investigates report that a woman’s invasive cancer was misdiagnosed at a Dublin hospital.
The woman, Alison McCormack, was informed in 2013 that her cancer had actually been misdiagnosed by St James's Hospital, almost a full year after she re-presented at the hospital with cancer in her neck.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Buggy said it was "truly shocking that the misdiagnosis in St James's Hospital only came about because of the perseverance of a brave, young mother" and the RTÉ Investigates report.
Prof Buggy said the hospital was aware of the misdiagnosis nine months before Ms McCormack was made aware.
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He said the significance of a cancer diagnosis cannot be over stated.
Mr Buggy said it is no longer acceptable for professions or institutions to hold sway over the rights of the individual.
He said he wants to know if Ms McCormack was offered psychological supports and also how she was treated post misdiagnosis.
In addition, he said, it is known that there is another individual who was misdiagnosed and he said he wanted to know if that person had been informed.
Prof Buggy said he would also like to know why just 10% of the breast cancer cases, viewed by the pathologist at the centre of the case, were reviewed.
He pointed out the pathologist would also have reviewed a number of gynecological and urological cases and he questioned why those cases were not also under review.
