Man died of pancreatic cancer after doctors had diagnosed ‘depression’
AMIDLAND man died after doctors failed to diagnose him with pancreatic cancer until it was too late.
Chris Brown, from Oldbury, began experiencing symptoms during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
Due to lockdown, he was only able to speak to a doctor over the phone – but they diagnosed him with depression. Months went by before he saw a doctor in person in January 2021.
But he was misdiagnosed for a second time – with medics telling him he had diabetes. It was not until months later that scans showed a large mass on his pancreas, which was stage four.
Mr Brown died shortly afterwards – missing the birth of his grandson, now two.
His wife Lynsey is now trying to raise awareness of the condition alongside charity Pancreatic Cancer Action. She believes that if Mr Brown had been diagnosed early, he could have survived with immediate treatment.
Mrs Brown said: “Chris began to feel unwell during the Covid period. He lost a lot of weight and he was feeling extremely low and tired all the time. He spoke to a doctor over the phone in May 2020, where they told him he was depressed.
“In January 2021, he finally saw a doctor face to face, and it was when they sent him his blood tests. The results came back a week or so later, and he was told he was diabetic and put on medication straight away, alongside regular check-ups and blood tests.”
But as months went by, Mr Brown continued to lose weight. “Then, at the beginning of May 2021, Chris was sent for an ultrasound scan and then a follow-up MRI scan at the end of May. On June 14, he was asked to attend an appointment at Sandwell Hospital,” added his wife.
“When we arrived there, we were met by two Macmillan nurses who took us into a private room, sat us down and said ‘the scan results show you have a very large mass on your pancreas’ and that it is stage four.
“He asked how long he had left. To this they replied: ‘We don’t know, but you need to go home and make memories with your family.’
“On September 8, 2021, he passed away peacefully at home.”
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with over 10,000 people diagnosed each year, a spokesperson for Pancreatic Cancer Action said.
The spokesman added: “Early diagnosis is crucial for improving survival rates. Sadly, 26 people a day die from the disease, and a further 29 are diagnosed.”