Inquest into the death of Claus Burg hears his stomach cancer was misdiagnosed by Adelaide doctors

He was told he was in the clear, but terminal stomach cancer went unnoticed by doctors on numerous scans, leaving this man with a year to live, an inquest has heard.

Claus Burg and his wife Lynda at their Brahma Lodge home in 2019. Picture: Matt Turner

An earlier diagnosis “would have improved” the chances of survival for a 70-year-old man ravaged with terminal stomach cancer, but a top surgeon insists he may have “still succumbed to the disease” even with successful surgery, an inquest has heard.

Claus Burg, of Brahma Lodge, died in 2019 after battling cancer for more than a decade but, in 2017, was told by Queen Elizabeth Hospital doctors he was in complete remission after a routine check-up showed normal blood parameters and a stable CAT scan.

However, a tiny spot – already showing on a number of scans – grew to become stage four stomach cancer, and just a year after he was given the all clear, Mr Burg was told he had only a year or two left to live.

Mr Burg lost his battle with cancer in 2019, two years after he was told he was in remission. Picture: Matt Turner.

An inquest in front of State Coroner David Whittle will examine if there was an earlier opportunity to diagnose Mr Burg’s cancer, and whether a “timelier” diagnosis could have prevented his death or “significantly prolonged” his life.

On Monday, Lyell McEwin Hospital surgeon Dr Lachlan Dandie told the inquest it was a “bit surprising” Mr Burg’s stomach cancer had not been identified on earlier radiological images.

“The natural history of these things tends to be that progress over time – so the earlier he gets diagnosed the more, the more likely he would have been to have successful curative treatment,” Dr Dandie said.

“It would have improved his chances, but he may still have succumbed to this disease even if we had done what looks like successful surgery.

“Even when it looks like we’ve done a curable operation – the rate of then being cancer-free in five years is less than 50 per cent. Unfortunately gastric cancers are a pretty terrible disease.”

In the months after being cleared, Mr Burg started losing weight and suffered a stabbing pain in his side. A camera uncovered cancer at the top of his stomach and a subsequent CAT scan showed the inoperable disease had spread to his liver.

Prior to his death, Mr Burg and his wife of 40 years Lynda Burg launched legal action against SA Health, seeking compensation for “medical negligence” following his misdiagnosis.

Counsel assisting Emma Roper told the inquest a review team identified “three missed opportunities” in the prevention of Mr Burg’s death.

Mr and Mrs Burg on their wedding day. Picture: Matt Turner.

A thickening of Mr Burg’s stomach wall was noted by a radiologist and included in a report at the time, but was not written in its conclusion, the inquest heard.

Referred physicians were also alleged to have skimmed over the report – reading only its conclusion and missing the critical diagnosis in the body of the report.

“The radiologist could have immediately communicated the incidental, significant and unexpected finding of stomach wall thickening to the referred clinical team,” Ms Roper said.

The inquest continues.

Originally published as Inquest into the death of Claus Burg hears his stomach cancer was misdiagnosed by Adelaide doctors