A mother-of-three from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, underwent six-and-a-half years of chemotherapy for a brain tumour when only six months were needed, sparking an NHS investigation.
Samantha Smith, 45, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in May 2014 and treated at University Hospital Coventry under consultant oncologist Professor Ian Brown. Despite national guidelines recommending just six months of chemotherapy, she was kept on the drug until Prof Brown retired in 2021.
A new consultant then informed Ms Smith that the prolonged treatment was unnecessary. The University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust has commissioned an independent review and expressed regret for the 'excessive treatment', which caused fatigue, tooth decay, early menopause, memory lapses and mobility issues.
Prof Brown has been referred to the General Medical Council after another patient allegedly received over 14 years of unnecessary chemotherapy. The trust has implemented measures to prevent recurrence, including stopping medication at six or 12 cycles and requiring documented treatment plans.
Ms Smith said: 'I feel like that part of my life has been stolen from me... I trusted in my consultant, like so many of us do.' Her legal team at Irwin Mitchell is seeking answers.
