Deceased
Graeme Harold Griffiths
Demographics
65y, male
Coroner
Deputy State Coroner Paresa Spanos
Date of death
2015-08-26
Finding date
2017-11-20
Cause of death
Severe neutropenic sepsis and multi-organ failure secondary to severe mucositis and probable DPD deficiency in the setting of T3 rectal carcinoma
AI-generated summary
A 65-year-old man with stage 3 rectal cancer died from severe neutropenic sepsis and multi-organ failure secondary to probable dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency when treated with capecitabine chemotherapy. He developed severe mucositis and systemic toxicity within days of commencing treatment. While the coroner found the clinical management appropriate by 2015 standards, the case highlights that DPD deficiency testing was not routine practice in Australia at the time, nor was a specific antidote available. The coroner noted emerging international practices in pre-treatment DPD testing and recommended that oncology groups consider adopting this as standard care, and that governments expedite access to the newly-available antidote Vistogard.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
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