Home / Health / NHS Patient Given 11 Years of Chemo For Cancer She Never Had
NHS Patient Given 11 Years of Chemo For Cancer She Never Had
15 Sep
Summary
- A woman received 11 years of chemotherapy for a cancer misdiagnosis.
- Experts determined she had an inflammatory condition, not cancer.
- She is among over 40 patients suing the NHS for prolonged drug use.
A devastating misdiagnosis has led to Becky Jones, 34, receiving 11 years of intense chemotherapy for a brain tumor she never had. Initially diagnosed in 2012 with a glioblastoma and given months to live, Jones underwent extensive treatment including chemotherapy drug temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy.
Experts later determined Jones suffered from tumefactive demyelination, a brain inflammation that could have been treated with steroids. The prolonged chemotherapy, which exceeded NHS guidance, exposed her to severe side effects like nausea, fatigue, and depression.
Jones is now among over 40 patients suing the NHS, alleging prolonged prescription of TMZ under the supervision of a retired consultant oncologist, Professor Ian Brown, who is under investigation.
Recent reviews of patient care at the hospital, including one by the Royal College of Physicians, found prolonged courses of the drug were routinely given without clear benefit, highlighting staff failings and a betrayal of patient trust.
