CHEMO RISKS NOT DISCUSSED.Byline: By GEORGINA O'HALLORAN A GRIEF stricken husband whose wife died from a rare toxic side-effect of chemotherapy claimed yesterday they were never told the treatment could kill her. Mum-of-three Barbara Rafter, 53, was taken to hospital after she collapsed at home on December 12, 2006, Dublin County Dublin County may refer to:
Ms Rafter, from Celbridge, Co Kildare, was diagnosed with stage 2 Dukes B colonic cancer three months earlier. She had successful surgery to remove the tumour at Tallaght Hospital and had started a sixth month course of 5 - Fluorouracil fluorouracil: see metabolite. and Oxaliplatin chemotherapy. Ms Rafter also had coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue. . The court heard Dr Ray McDermott told Ms Rafter and her husband, Frank Ryan, that chemotherapy can have significant side-effects. But the couple were not told of the risk of cardio-toxicity with 5 - Fluorouracil. Mr Ryan said: "If I felt if something lethal was possible I would have reacted differently, but I wasn't aware it could kill her." |
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