For the boys | oncology buddies your guide to cancer care

For the boys Mental health – Men in crisis

May 21, 2023 Word for Word Media

Dr Chris van den Berg expands on the mental health of South African men.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

My own awakening about the mental health crisis in South African men happened when viewing a statistic: an average of 14-18 South African men die by suicide every day. This rate is amongst the top 10 highest in the world.2 Four out of five suicide cases are men. In males under 45 years, suicide is the second most common reason for death, while in males between 45 and 64, it’s the sixth most…

For the boys Second-generation antiandrogens

March 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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We learn about new treatment options for advanced prostate cancer: second-generation antiandrogens.

You can listen to this article below, or by using your favourite podcast player at pod.link/oncologybuddies

What is advanced prostate cancer (APC)? APC is diagnosed when treatments for localised prostate cancer have failed or when men present with symptoms of advanced disease. Prostate cancer (PC) initially starts to grow in the prostate and in the early stages the cancer is contained there (localised PC). If the cancer continues to grow and is left untreated, it eventually breaks out of the prostate and begins to invade the…

For the boys Prostate cancer – Am I covered?

November 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Gillian Bruce, a senior case manager, answers imperative questions regarding prostate cancer and what medical aids will cover. A prostate cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and it’s hard to come to terms with not only for you, the patient, but for your family as well. Then there is the added stress of whether your medical aid will cover your treatment. This is why it’s vital to know what your Oncology Benefit includes as many only find out when treatment is declined. It’s also important to find out more about your type of cancer and whether it’s a prescribed minimum benefit (PMB) and the details of…

For the boys Making a brotherhood for male cancer survivors

July 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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We chat to prostate cancer survivor, David Lucas, who was recently selected as one of South Africa’s 2022 CANSA Relay For Life Global Hero of Hope. David Lucas (64) lives in Ennerdale, Gauteng with his wife. They have three children and five grandchildren. Diagnosis David was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011 by chance. “I went to the doctor to test if I had arthritis and the GP took blood samples. It turned out my prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was high and after further investigation, it was confirmed that I had Stage 1 prostate cancer,” David says. “I was initially ambivalent…

For the boys Prostate cancer terminology

July 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Shivona Moodley expands on the common terminology that is used in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men with 1,4 million new cases being diagnosed in 2020, according to GLOBOCAN statistics. Southern Africa had the third highest worldwide mortality rates from PC. In South Africa, the National Cancer Registry 2014 report confirms that PC is the most common histologically-diagnosed malignancy in non-Caucasians, and the second most common cancer in Caucasians. Routes of spread PC starts in the cells of the prostate gland and the most common type of cancer found here is…

For the boys Metastatic testicular cancer

March 24, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daleen Geldenhuys describes how testicular cancer becomes metastatic and the treatment thereof. Testicular germ cell tumours, broadly classified into seminomas and non-seminomas, are among the most curable cancers, with five-year survival rates of approximately 95%. Men with advanced disease are classified into good-, intermediate-, and poor-risk groups. The grouping considers the site of the primary cancer as well as the sites of metastatic disease, and serum tumour marker levels. The primary cancer can be testicular or in the chest. This may sound strange, but it’s thought to be attributed to an abnormal migration of gonadal tissue (cells that are destined to become part of…

For the boys Inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer

December 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Genetic counsellor, Sarah Walters, educates us on the probabilities of inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men; approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed during their lifetime. Mostly, it’s diagnosed in men aged 65 and older. Risk factors include lifestyle, age, and ethnicity. Sometimes there is an inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer and this may have a considerable impact. Clues to understand whether your family may be at an increased risk include a family history of prostate and other cancers, such as breast cancer (in either men or women), ovarian cancer…

For the boys Prostate cancer in black men

October 1, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Black men have significant differences in incidence, presentation and outcome of prostate cancer compared to other racial groups. Multiple factors play a role including genetic differences and social determinants of health. Understanding these differences helps us to create better healthcare strategies for black men. Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in SA, surpassing basal cell cancer in the latest National Cancer Registry cancer report (2017).¹ PC is the second most common cause of death through a malignancy in SA, after lung cancer.² Internationally it has been found that black men with PC have worse outcomes than other…

For the boys Adapting to enjoy full sexual intimacy

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Anthony Smith expands on ways to adapt after prostate cancer treatment so sexual function can be improved and sexual intimacy enhanced. The prostate’s anatomy is central to the nerves, muscles and vessels that supply the genitals so any damage to this area can have profound consequences. Its therefore no surprise that men fear this cancer and its potential to substantially damage their sexuality and masculine identity. So, let’s look at the side effects. Surgical treatments A cornerstone of treatment is a radical prostatectomy, now done as a nerve-sparing procedure which has improved the outcome such that up to 75% of men can expect to…

For the boys Mandla Zondo: lobbying hope

August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Mandla Zondo tells us how losing his brother to prostate cancer in the same year he was diagnosed motivated him to lobby hope and in turn co-found CanSurvive Kwa-Thema Support Group. Mandla Zondo (72) lives in Springs, Gauteng. He is married and has two children and six grandchildren. Mandla started his yearly prostate cancer screening in 2011. In 2013, his GP referred him to a urologist as he had an enlarged prostate. Mandla’s prostate was so enlarged that it restricted urination and he had to undergo a cystoscopy (endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra). He was then put…

For the boys PSMA therapy in metastatic prostate cancer

February 5, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Lizette Louw informs us how PSMA therapy is a rapidly evolving area for metastatic prostate cancer treatment. What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine is a specialised area consisting of two arms: nuclear imaging which uses small amounts of gamma radiation to examine organ function, and nuclear therapy using alpha or beta particles. In nuclear imaging, a radioactive atom is linked to specific molecules to guide imaging of specific organ systems. Similarly for nuclear therapy, a therapeutic radioactive atom is linked to various specific molecules which is absorbed by the tumour cells and the radiation is deposited within the…

For the boys Metastatic prostate cancer

February 5, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Prof Shingai Mutambirwa gives us a better notion of what metastatic prostate cancer is and the outcomes of the various metastases. What is metastatic prostate cancer? When cancer cells from the prostate enter the blood and lymph vessels and travel to other parts of the body where they re-implant and grow to form secondary tumours or metastases, this is called metastatic prostate cancer or Stage IV. At this advanced stage, the cancer is unfortunately no longer curable but can be contained for a period on appropriate therapies. The 5-year cancer specific survival for men diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer hovers between 30-40%. Various studies…