A Caboolture doctor who was told his metastatic bowel cancer was inoperable has returned to anaesthetic practice after intensive treatment and specialist training, carrying lessons from his own experience as a patient into his clinical work.
From Anaesthetist To Patient
Dr Steven Hocken was an anaesthetic registrar preparing for his final specialist examinations when several months of pain led to an urgent colonoscopy.
Gastroenterologist Dr Adrian Swaine performed the procedure at Redcliffe Hospital, with Hocken choosing to remain awake. He saw the large tumour on the screen before further testing confirmed metastatic bowel cancer.
Hocken was 35 when colorectal surgeon Dr Andrew Riddell provided the first surgical consultation. At that stage, the cancer was considered inoperable and Hocken was told he may have about three years to live.
The diagnosis shifted him from treating patients to experiencing healthcare from the other side. He later described the experience as changing aspects of his own practice, including the way he handles pain crises, prepares patients for major surgery and considers their perspective during treatment.
Treatment Changes The Surgical Outlook
Hocken’s care involved specialists across Metro North Hospital and Health Service in gastroenterology, colorectal surgery and oncology.
His treatment was aggressive because of his young age. Associate Professor Melissa Eastgate, Executive Director Cancer Care at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, was his medical oncologist and provided chemotherapy and immunotherapy with the RBWH oncology team.
After an intensive treatment period that also involved significant complications, Hocken responded strongly enough to chemotherapy for surgery to become possible.
Riddell, who had initially advised that the cancer could not be operated on, later performed an ultra-low anterior resection at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
By June 2026, Hocken’s metastases had disappeared, his stoma had been reversed about a year earlier and he had completed his specialist training.
By August, almost two years had passed since the operation and follow-up scans continued to show no recurrence. The possibility of the cancer returning remains, with Riddell noting that patients are followed for five years.
Caboolture Doctor Returns To Practice
By June 2026, Hocken was working full-time as an Anaesthetic Consultant at Caboolture Hospital.
His healthcare career had begun well before medicine. He initially worked as an Assistant-in-Nursing before becoming an intensive care nurse and later pursuing medicine and anaesthetics.
During specialist training, Hocken rotated through seven hospitals. Caboolture stood out to him for the way its team worked together and cared for colleagues, and returning there after completing his training had always been part of his plan.
He now intends to continue working as an anaesthetist in Caboolture for the foreseeable future.
Published 9-September-2026
CLICK ANY LOGO TO SEE PUBLICATION
