My husband was successfully treated with immunotherapy for terminal cancer during 2020-2022. Following surveillance, a subsequent oesophageal cancer was identified, initially curative and then due to treatment delay, palliative. During the first consultation with the Upper GI consultant in September, my husband first raised the oral thrush which caused him huge discomfort and wore him down. The consultant said he didn't know what it was and left the consultation room. At all subsequent meetings with health care professionals over the following nine months, my husband would raise the oral thrush.
Some treatment for the thrush was provided: 5 rounds of flucanozole and nyastatin. These had no effect. Before chemo started in April, he had a stent fitted and removed; further, pulmonary embolisms and subsequently diarrhea caused two hospital admissions in April. This was debilitating and resulted in a DNR (later challenged and lifted). There was mention of diabetes in the discharge letter which we didn't understand. A swab finally identified the thrush and the oncology consultant wrote to the GP and requested that she take action. She said she couldn't do anything before consulting with ENT. My husband gave up after hearing nothing would be done.
Following 7 sessions of FOLFOX, my husband was admitted with suspected sepsis stimulated by bronchial pneumonia on 19 August. The treatments were minimal and a DNR imposed. He died on 21 August.
We were given to believe that the oral thrush was a discomfort but not clinically important. I was puzzled though that for nine months the hospital took no action, yet when my husband was seriously ill, the doctors treated the thrush, albeit without telling us or explaining why. My assumption was that sepsis was a reaction to a viral infection. A few days ago, I did further research and discovered that oral thrush can be implicated in the development of sepsis and the NICE guidelines recommend specialist advice after two rounds of oral treatment fail. NICE considers oral thrush to be a serious threat to those undergoing chemotherapy with a danger of systemic spread and sepsis.
I am shocked to the core that the thrush, which we tried so hard to get treated, is seriously implicated in my husband's death. The medical professionals should have been aware of the risk of oral thrush yet chose not to act.
I am making a complaint. Do you think this is reasonable?
