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'Fit and healthy' Essex man wrongly diagnosed with rare cancer died after complex surgery

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date17 April 2024
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
The otherwise fit and healthy 84-year-old was referred to the cancer pathway at Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel, for an 'Immunohistochemical study' a test which looks for disease markers, where a multidisciplinary team meet on May 3 concluded 'diagnosis: duodenal cancer'. But they arrived at this without further biopsy tests, and it transpired the conclusion was wrong

Based on the outcome of the meeting, Alan was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in the small intestine and agreed to 'Whipples' procedure, a complex surgery that involves removing parts of the pancreas, bile duct, gall bladder, intestine, and stomach. As a direct result of surgical complications -from a surgery he did not need -Alan sadly died on June 26 2023.

In a prevention of future deaths report, from the coroner at Inner North London, Ian Potter wrote 'Mr Soane’s surgeon would not have offered him the Whipples surgery had it not been for the incorrect diagnosis provided'. He said there was still a concern because the NHS Trust remains 'unable to provide the presence of a Consultant Histopathologist at Hepato-pancreato-biliary MDT meetings'.

Histopathologists study organs, tissues, cells and genetics to help provide a diagnosis. In the course of an inquest into Alan's death, Mr Potter said 'it was acknowledged' the lack of the specialist at the meetings led to the misdiagnosis.

He also noted the issue had been on the Trust's risk register for over...

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