AN ELDERLY Hampshire man died of liver failure as a result of complications from drugs used to treat cancer, an inquest heard.

Michael Penfold, 83 was rushed to Southampton General Hospital on August 9, 2016 after collapsing at his home in Clifton Gardens, West End.

Janet Penfold, his widow, said: “He got out of bed, walked into the front room to open the curtains and I heard the bang of him falling. He had collapsed. We called my daughter and got him sitting up and he damaged his head. That’s why we called the ambulance.”

Dr Charles Hamilton, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at SGH said: “They worked very hard in the Intensive Care Unit to do what they could. He was not going to survive”

The retired electrician had been diagnosed with prostate cancer on 13 July, 16 and was prescribed the drug Bicalutamide as part of a course of hormone therapy due to his age and previous heart problems.

A post mortem revealed that the father of one had suffered heart failure and acute cell death in the liver, a rare side effect of the drugs. Pathologist Elenor Janes said “ He could have died from the cardiac disease alone, but it was the drugs that tipped the balance.”

Coroner Grahame Short recorded a narrative verdict concluding that Mr Penfold had died due to complications of drug therapy.