Bleomycin is a widely used anticancer drug that can lead to severe toxicity, including serious lung problems, allergic reactions, painful sores, vomiting and weight loss. Administering bleomycin requires extreme caution. Errors leading to bleomycin overdose and failure to diagnose signs of bleomycin toxicity have resulted in numerous lawsuits alleging medical malpractice. In many of these lawsuits, the defendant oncologist has been held guilty of medical negligence leading to wrongful death.
Bleomycin toxicity
Bleomycin can cause potentially fatal lung damages. Bleomycin is also associated with other severe side effects, including but not limited to fever, chills, nausea, temporary hair loss, painful sores, irritation of the skin, dizziness, acceleration of heart rate and coughing up blood. Careful monitoring by a doctor/pharmacist significantly reduces the risk of side effects.
Medical malpractice
Failure to diagnose bleomycin-induced lung damage and to take corrective measures in a timely manner can lead to the death of the patient. Such failures have resulted in numerous lawsuits alleging medical negligence leading to wrongful death. In some cases, the defendant has been held guilty of causing wrongful death. In others, the defendant has been absolved of charges of causing wrongful death but has been held guilty of medical negligence.
Lawsuit alleging medical negligence
A lawsuit alleging medical malpractice was filed in Illinois Cook County Circuit Court by the estate of a deceased patient. The lawsuit alleged that the defendant oncologist failed to timely diagnose bleomycin toxicity in the decedent. The plaintiff claimed the medical negligence caused pain and suffering and ultimately resulted in the death of the patient. In such cases, damages in excess of $50,000 have been claimed citing negligence in the care of the patient receiving chemotherapy and causing wrongful death.
Lawsuit alleging negligent chemotherapy monitoring and treatment
A lawsuit was filed in Pennsylvania against a medical oncologist, alleging failure to perform surgery in treating a testicular cancer patient. The lawsuit further claimed that negligence leading to a failure in promptly diagnosing bleomycin toxicity caused the death of the patient. After a week-long trial, the jury held that the oncologist was negligent in performing his duties. However, the jury decided that the medical negligence was not a deciding factor in the death of the patient.
Lawsuit alleging medical negligence leading to bleomycin overdose
A medical negligence lawsuit was filed against University College London Hospitals for causing the death of a 27-year-old cancer patient. The lawsuit alleged that the patient was administered double the required amount of bleomycin on seven occasions. Furthermore, the patient presented with symptoms of bleomycin-induced lung damage, which was not diagnosed by the attending physician. The coroner's report concluded that an error in prescribing bleomycin caused the death of the patient.
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