Oncology Buddies magazine

Haematology Living with immune thrombocytopenic purpura

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

Dr Zeenat Moorad helps us understand why the bleeding disorder immune thrombocytopenic purpura occurs and the treatment options available.

What is immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)? ITP is a rare bleeding disorder that increases with age with a slight female preponderance. It’s characterised by a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, known as thrombocytopenia. Purpura refers to the purple discolouring of the skin, as with a bruise. Platelets are specialised blood cells that are fundamental in preventing bleeding, by forming a blood clot at sites of blood vessel injury. Platelets are made in the bone…

Haematology Pieter Le Roux – Life connections

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Pieter Le Roux shares how his leukaemia diagnosis steered his counselling career into making valuable life connections and how he sees this as what life is all about.

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

Pieter Le Roux (44) lives in Helderkruin, Gauteng. He is a cat dad. After a trip to USA, in December 2013, for the Top 100 upcoming youth pastors, Pieter was extremely tired. He put it down to travelling. Three months went by and his fatigue was at a high. “I went to my GP; when…

Haematology How is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia diagnosed?

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Dr Karen Gunther, a clinical haematologist, explains how acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is diagnosed.

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

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a malignancy of immature lymphoid cells. These live in the lymph glands, circulate in the blood, and stay in the bone marrow which is the “factory” where blood is made. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and lymphoma are overlapping clinical presentations of the same condition. The diagnosis depends on whether there is a marked increase in the peripheral lymphocyte counts in the blood or predominantly an increase…

Haematology Living with diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Dr Garrick Laudin unpacks diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and how such a diagnosis may impact your life.

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

What is diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma? The umbrella term, large B-cell lymphoma, encompasses diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (DLBCL) as one of its subtypes. DLBCL, the most common of the non-Hodgkin lymphomas, is a cancer of the lymph nodes or organs (liver and spleen) where the immune system is active. In certain patients, particularly those with weak immune systems due to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)…

Haematology Colin Smith – The battle of the two Cs

July 31, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Despite a relapse in 2021, eight years after his initial diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, Colin Smith says recovering from COVID has been worse than his recurring blood cancer.

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

Colin Smith (70) lives in Johannesburg, Gauteng with his wife. They have three children and two grandchildren. Diagnosis At the age of 59, in February 2013, Colin experienced discomfort in the top right side of his abdomen. He thought it was a pulled muscle and adds that he hadn’t seen a doctor since undergoing…