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Becky Jones was 21 years old when she was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor in England. She underwent chemotherapy for 11 years, even without a tumor in imaging tests. In May 2025, specialists concluded she never had cancer, only an inflammation. Today, at 34, she is suing the hospital.
Becky Jones underwent chemotherapy for 11 years to treat a brain cancer she never had. The terminal diagnosis came when she was just 21 years old, leading her to more than a decade of heavy treatment in England.
The case was reported by BBC News Brazil and reproduced by Folha on September 16, 2026. According to the report, Jones, now 34 years old, is one of more than 40 patients suing an English hospital for prolonged or unnecessary cancer treatments.
At 21, she was told she had a terminal tumor and few months to live
At 21 years old, Becky Jones was informed that she had a terminal brain tumor and only a few months to live. She had just met her partner and dreamed of a career in law enforcement.
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The diagnosis was made by an experienced cancer specialist. Suddenly, the future she had planned was turned upside down.
Doctor said she would die without chemotherapy
Jones recalls hearing, repeatedly, that she would not survive without treatment. “I was told over and over again that without chemotherapy, I would die,” she stated.
According to her, the specialist Ian Brown, from University Hospital in Coventry, told her she would take the chemotherapeutic temozolomide (TMZ) for the rest of her life. However, the guidelines recommend only six cycles over six months.
Imaging tests showed no tumor
Jones claims she questioned several imaging tests that appeared to show no signs of a tumor. The response she says she received from the doctor was that the tumor would not be “visible to the naked eye”.
Even without an image confirming cancer, treatment continued. It extended over more than a decade of her life.
It all began in 2012, with severe migraines
In 2012, Jones’s life was just beginning. She worked as a closed-circuit television (CCTV) operator at the Coventry City stadium, where she met her partner, Pete, who was a security guard there.
Shortly after, she began to suffer from severe migraines and sought medical help. This marked the start of her entire health investigation.
Diagnosis of glioblastoma came before the biopsy results, says attorney
Jones underwent a brain biopsy, performed by a private neurosurgeon. According to Fiona Tinsley, an attorney at the Brabners law firm, Professor Brown diagnosed a grade 4 glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, before the biopsy results were out.
The BBC reported that it attempted to contact the retired professor multiple times. Additional information about the physician was gathered from Jones, the attorney, and the official inquiry.
Eleven years of effects she described as “horrendous”
Jones described the years she spent on chemotherapy drugs as “horrendous”. “It was constant nausea, stomach pain, mouth ulcers, fatigue every day. It was horrible,” she shared.
The medication affected every aspect of her life. She frequently felt nauseous, couldn’t participate in family events, and lived, in her words, feeling “like she was walking on eggshells”.
Fear of infection kept Becky away from family and social life
The fear of infections caused Jones to avoid social events and family gatherings. Her driver’s license was first suspended and later restricted.
Before treatment, her routine was different. “I used to go to the gym all the time, I ran, and Pete and I would often go out to eat, which obviously I couldn’t do anymore afterward,” she explained.
They said she wouldn’t be able to get pregnant, but Becky had two children
The couple was also informed that Jones could not get pregnant. Later, she had two children.
She recalls what the doctor said about the pregnancies. “Later, I had two children, which, according to him, were two miracles,” she said.
In 2024, a phone call informed her that chemotherapy would be halted
The treatment continued for over a decade until, in 2024, Jones received a phone call from a doctor informing her that chemotherapy would be stopped. No clear reason was given to her.
“I was told that Ian Brown had retired, which was the first time I heard of it,” she recalled. She claims she was left without support: she learned that her questions would be answered by a new oncologist, but no name was provided.
In May 2025, the conclusion: there was never any cancer
In May 2025, following an independent analysis conducted by neurosurgeons and radiologists, at her attorneys’ request, Jones was informed that she never had brain cancer. In fact, she had tumefactive demyelination, an inflammation typically treated by neurologists with high-dose corticosteroids.
The news came during a video call with her attorneys and specialists. “When we found out, there were tears in everyone’s eyes,” said Fiona Tinsley, who represents several of the patients.
“I never had a brain tumor. I was misdiagnosed and went through all this treatment for a large part of my adult life, without reason,” Jones stated. “It basically destroyed my life,” she added.
More than 40 Patients Sue Hospital in Coventry
Jones is one of more than 40 patients who are filing a lawsuit against the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust. The reason is for prolonged or unnecessary cancer treatments.
Other patients of the doctor reported to the BBC that they had taken TMZ for years, leading to serious health issues. One patient stated she believes the medication left her infertile, and another developed leukemia after 100 unnecessary cycles.
Investigation Found “Little or No Evidence of Benefit”
Preliminary findings from an investigation by the RCP (Royal College of Physicians) indicated that patients at the hospital were routinely receiving prolonged treatments with the medication, with “little or no evidence of benefit”.
The investigation stated that the failures of the staff amounted to a “betrayal of patient trust”. It also questioned why oncology pharmacy teams did not contest patients receiving oral chemotherapy continuously for 10 to 15 years.
Of the 20 Cases Reviewed, 15 Were Considered “Unsatisfactory”
The RCP investigation, which referred to the doctor as “Dr. Y” and did not identify him, concluded that of the 20 cases reviewed, 15 were rated as “generally unsatisfactory”. The specialist doctor did not participate in the investigation.
The team pointed to “few evidences” that the risks of the medication were understood and documented, as well as “insufficient clinical curiosity” in some cases and a lack of collaboration among specialties. For Jones, the findings are “shocking”. “It’s not just about what he did, but how they allowed him to operate independently for so long,” she said.
Hospital Claims to Have Strengthened Medication Oversight
The UHCW stated that it would not comment on individual cases but said it has taken measures to ensure a “tighter oversight of prescribing and using TMZ”. A spokesperson added that all affected patients have been evaluated by experienced doctors, with “appropriate treatment plans implemented”.
The hospital also mentioned that it is conducting an independent review of its processes and will analyze the full report from the RCP once it is published. “We want to reassure our community that patient safety, experience, and well-being remain our top priorities,” it stated.
In your opinion, what is more frightening in this case: the wrong diagnosis that lasted 11 years or the fact that no one at the hospital questioned the treatment for so long? Share your thoughts in the comments.
