[ RadSafe ] Poisoned by radiation overdose

[Susan Gawarecki]

Poisoned by radiation overdose
By JULIE WHELDON, GAVIN MADELEY & KATE GINN, Daily Mail 09:24am 9th 
February 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=376654&in_page_id=1774&in_a_source=

After months of gruelling treatment for a brain tumour, Lisa Norris was 
looking forward to her new life. Although still in pain, the 15-year-old 
schoolgirl had been given the all clear by cancer doctors. But - just 
days later - she was plunged into unimaginable despair when they told 
her she had been given massive overdoses of radiation.

The appalling blunder has left her body red, blistered and so burned 
that she has to take frequent cold showers to cool down. The pain makes 
it impossible to sleep and she now worries how long she has left to 
live. The hospital said "human error" had led to Lisa being given 
overdoses at each of her 17 scheduled radiotherapy sessions.

"I've been told I could be brain damaged, could be paralysed and in ten 
to 15 years I might not be here, I could die," she said last night. "I 
could have a scar on my head or brain which can lead to strokes, heart 
attacks and whatever else. "I don't know what is going to happen to me, 
it could happen in the next six months to a year. We just don't know 
what is going to happen. "I've got burns on the back of my neck and ears 
and they're starting to blister. "I can't sleep because I can't lie on 
my back. I can't really do much, my mum has to help me put my clothes on."

The hospital has apologised and said the five staff involved were 
distraught. But Lisa and her family want them all sacked. "I'm really 
angry with them, they shouldn't be able to get away with it," said Lisa, 
from Girvan, Ayrshire. "By rights, they should be put out of their jobs 
and not allowed to work in the NHS ever again because it could happen to 
somebody else."

Only this week, Health Service chiefs revealed a catalogue of medical 
blunders that included a woman wrongly being given a hysterectomy.

Lisa was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour five months ago after 
suffering headaches, blurred vision and tiredness for more than a year. 
Doctors at Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow said she had pineoblastoma 
which affects fewer than 100 Britons. The tumour is hard to treat 
because it is located in the centre of the brain. After chemotherapy, 
which made her hair fall out, Lisa was told radiotherapy was needed to 
shrink the tumour.

She had 17 courses of radiation and last week was told the tumour had 
gone. Lisa, her parents, Kenneth and Elizabeth, and brother Andrew, 12, 
were delighted. But then they were told by telephone that two 
consultants were coming to see them. "We knew something was wrong," said 
Mrs Norris, 49. "You never hear of consultants visiting your house, so 
alarm bells were ringing."

Her husband, a 50-year-old joiner, said: "It just knocked us for six. 
We've not been able to sleep a night since. If they can do this to Lisa, 
they can do this to anyone." A friend said the schoolgirl had been 
trying to stay upbeat and was the only member of the family not to have 
cried. "Lisa is the most bubbly person you would ever meet," she said. 
"She says she's not going to let it get her down. She's being so strong 
about it."

A full inquiry is under way to find out why the routine procedure at the 
oncology centre went so wrong. Professor Alan Rodger, the centre's 
medical director, said: "My colleagues and I deeply regret the error 
that has led to Lisa Norris being given an overdose of radiation during 
her course of treatment. "The staff involved with his isolated incident 
are extremely distraught. "Initial meetings have taken place with Lisa 
and her family and we will do everything in our power to support them in 
the challenges ahead."

The inquiry is being conducted by the Department of Health and the 
radiation protection division of the UK Health Protection Agency. It has 
not yet emerged how the wrong dose of radiation was administered 17 
times. But it is thought that the wrong level was given on Lisa's first 
session and then repeated because it was written in the notes with no 
one spotting that it was too high.

Beatson is the second largest cancer centre in the UK and has a global 
reputation. It treats 8,000 new patients each year delivering more than 
15,000 courses of chemotherapy and 6,500 courses of radiotherapy. It is 
based on three sites in Glasgow and the overdose was given at the 
Western Infirmary. When radiotherapy is given, experts calibrate the 
machines to ensure the right dose has been prescribed and checks are 
made throughout the procedure.

Martin Ledwick, of Cancer Research UK, said: "Obviously as a health 
professional working with cancer patients for a number of years I was 
very shocked and surprised that this happened as I'm aware of all the 
checks that are in place to avoid this sort of mistake being made." The 
hospital would not say whether it had suspended the staff involved.

Cancer experts said it may be many months before doctors can work out 
the impact of the mistake. Lisa, who now has schooling at home, is 
having an MRI brain scan in three weeks to start this assessment process.