Dr Chris Venter updates us on the current standing of oncofertility care in South Africa. At the start of a new year, it seems reasonable to take a “surgical pause” and reflect on the past year. What challenges were achieved and what challenges still lie ahead? Eighteen months back when I was tasked to co-ordinate a national collaborate […]

Dr Carrie Minnaar informs us about hyperthermia, a new treatment in South Africa, and its benefits when used alongside chemotherapy and radiation. Hyperthermia explained Hyperthermia describes an increase in the tumour temperature above the normal physiological temperature range. A complex set of reactions of the tumour cells and environment in response to the heat results in improved [...]

John McPetrie shares his humorous views of the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. John (66) lives in Constantia, Cape Town, with his wife, Sue. They have two adult sons, having lost their eldest four years ago.  REGULAR PSA SCREENINGS  John was diagnosed with Stage 3b prostate cancer in late 2018 despite regular PSA testing for 22 years. [...]

Prof James Ker expands on the risk of cardiovascular disease when treating prostate cancer. Global burden of cancer The Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration described the cancer burden for 29 cancers in 195 countries1. In 2017, there were 24,5 million incident cancer cases worldwide of which prostate cancer (PC) contributed 1,3 million incident cases.  […]

Dr Mariza Tunmer, a radiation oncologist, tells us more about how radiation may cause side effects that can affect sexual health. Then Hester van Aswegen, a physiotherapist, advises what can be done to overcome these side effects. THE RADIATION ONCOLOGIST Radiotherapy is an important treatment modality used to treat many, if not most, patients with [...]

Most women today know what a Pap smear is or have had one or even a few. Dr Sumayya Ebrahim educates us on this procedure. What is a Pap smear? It’s a screening test for the early detection and screening of cervical cancer. It’s named after a Greek doctor, Dr Papanicolou, who first published his work [...]

We take a deeper look at sun protection and why you and your family should wear a certified UPF50+ sun hat not only in summer, but all year round to help prevent sun-damaged skin. Wearing a sun hat is the best way to provide instant shade coverage for your face and neck. However, not all hats [...]

René Botha helps us understand the integral role a radiotherapist plays in radiation therapy. Radiotherapy, when prescribed and delivered correctly, can help treat a wide variety of cancers. When a patient is prescribed radiotherapy, it takes a team of professionals working together to deliver this treatment safely and effectively. You may not meet all the [...]