Finding into death of Neil Alfred Middling

70y · Male·Metastatic oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma

Mr Middling, a 70-year-old man imprisoned for sexual offences, died from metastatic oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma on 29 July 2014 at St John's inpatient unit within Port Phillip Prison. He had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the stomach and lower oesophagus in April 2010 and received surgery and chemotherapy before imprisonment. After cancer recurrence was identified in February 2014, he elected not to pursue further chemotherapy due to side effects and poor prognosis, instead opting for symptom management and palliative care. A Not For Resuscitation order was appropriately established in consultation with his son. Following his final admission on 18 July 2014 with lethargy and nausea, he remained stable until he was found unresponsive on 29 July 2014. The coroner concluded the medical care provided by Port Phillip Prison staff was satisfactory, and his death resulted from the natural progression of advanced metastatic cancer.