In the Spotlight | oncology buddies your guide to cancer care

In the Spotlight Lenalidomide added to the Essential Medicines List

Feb 8, 2023 Word for Word Media

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The Cancer Alliance and multiple myeloma patients are celebrating the win of lenalidomide finally included on the Essential Medicines List for the public sector. The Cancer Alliance launched its Access to Medicine campaign on World Cancer Day, 4 February 2018, after the landmark report Exploring Patent Barriers to Cancer Treatment Access in South Africa: 24 Medicine Case Studies was published in 2017. From the 24 medicines, a list of eight medicines were selected as a dedicated focus for equitable access. Lenalidomide was one of the…

In the Spotlight Public hospital prostate brachytherapy programme

Mar 28, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Thanks to a successful joint prostate brachytherapy training workshop with Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) Department of Radiation Oncology and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) Urology Unit last year, this year 50 early prostate cancer patients will be treated with prostate brachytherapy at CHBAH. The first of the planned workshops was conducted in June 2021 at CHBAH and three patients with early stage prostate cancer were treated. Several specialist and training radiation oncologists, urologists and medical physicists got the opportunity of both observing and getting hands-on-experience doing prostate brachytherapy under expert guidance. BD, a medical technology company, agreed to sponsor the…

In the Spotlight 90 years of CANSA making a difference

Aug 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Together with CANSA partners, Oncology Buddies congratulates CANSA for the 90 years of constant care and service to the cancer community. From small beginnings in 1931, CANSA grew and evolved throughout the years to what it is today. It’s thanks to numerous partnerships, many donations, and the utmost dedication and perseverance throughout these 90 years that CANSA can still offer the following services: Cancer Screening – to enable early detection and treatment. Care Homes – for patients receiving treatment. Offering accommodation, meals and transport. TLC Lodges – for children and families affected by cancer. Stoma Clinics – supporting patients…

In the Spotlight Count Me In – first Patient-Led Cancer Registry

Mar 29, 2021 Word for Word Media

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We learn more about the first Patient-Led Cancer Registry, what it aims to achieve and the driving force behind it. When Belinda Wagner was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, in 2016, she looked for information to help her navigate the challenges that lay ahead. “When I searched online, I found the South African National Cancer Registry (NCR). Although this was a valuable resource, angiosarcoma was not listed at the time,” she explains. After completing treatment in 2017, Belinda established a support group and launched an NGO, called Living with Cancer. One of her dreams was that the NGO would oversee the first-ever South African Patient-Led…

In the Spotlight Nuclear medicine in oncology

Nov 30, 2020 Word for Word Media

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Dr Lizette Louw educates us about nuclear medicine, a molecular imaging and therapy technique, and its use in oncology. What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine is a specialised area of medical imaging that uses small amounts of radioactivity to examine organ function. The radioactive atom is linked to a specific molecule, depending on which organ system will be imaged. This radioactive molecule, called a radiopharmaceutical or radiotracer, then images a physiological process in the body, without interfering with the physiological process. Understanding radiation An unstable atom is called radioactive. The atom gives off energy to stabilise itself. Some atoms give off energy…

In the Spotlight Ahmed Kathrada Cancer Institute

Dec 4, 2017 Word for Word Media

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Lenmed Ahmed Kathrada Private Hospital, one of the eleven hospitals of the Lenmed Health Group, officially opened a state of the art cancer institute in Lenasia, this September. Lenmed is confident that the Ahmed Kathrada Cancer Institute (AKCI), through its exceptional team of high calibre specialists and a modern infrastructure, will make world-class cancer diagnoses and treatment options accessible to neighbouring communities. Mr Amil Devchand, COO of the Lenmed Health Group, says, “We will ensure a positive impact to the quality of lives of our patients and their families.” The new cancer institute features premium technology in a warm, patient-friendly, modern …

In the Spotlight What is a port?

Dec 1, 2017 Word for Word Media

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Dr Ronwyn van Eeden explains when a port for chemotherapy is needed. What is a port? It’s a device or drum, usually made from plastic or metal, that is placed under the skin of the chest. The drum is covered by a thin silicone membrane, through which a specialised needle is inserted. The port is completely under your skin and you can usually only feel a small bump. From that a thin tube, called a catheter, runs directly into a large vein. Your chemotherapy runs through this catheter into the vein. There are different brands of ports. A topical anaesthetic…

In the Spotlight Pain management in oncology

Jul 27, 2017 Word for Word Media

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Dr Cathryn Walton explains how pain management in oncology works. Pain is the most commonly feared symptom in a cancer patient. It is also the most misunderstood symptom. Fifty percent of patients have some form of pain at diagnosis of cancer. Thirty percent will have pain during treatment but 90% have pain as a symptom at the end of life. With a better understanding of pain and the management thereof, patients can feel in control of their lives. They have an improved quality of life and functionality. The management of pain in oncology is complex. It’s more than…

In the Spotlight What is pain?

Jun 5, 2017 Word for Word Media

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What is pain? We know it is a short word associated with a negative feeling, which we use often: “I’m in pain”, “She/he’s such a pain”, “This is a pain”. But what does this word really mean? Professor Romy Parker enlightens us.

Pain is a complex experience common to all human beings and yet unique to each of us. The International Association for the Study of Pain (ISAP) defines pain: “as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or expressed in such terms. Pain…

In the Spotlight Immunotherapy

Mar 29, 2017 Word for Word Media

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There are many different types of cancers, which previously had very dismal prognoses and bad outcomes, for which immunotherapy has changed the outlook of the future. It is fast becoming a new beacon of hope to many patients with advanced and aggressive cancers. So far, it has been approved for treatment of melanoma, lung, renal cell carcinoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, bladder cancer, head and neck cancers, and the list grows each day. Immunotherapy is also under investigation for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, gastric cancer, Merkel cell cancer, soft tissue sarcomas, and pancreatic cancer amongst many other different cancer types….

In the Spotlight Choosing a vein for venous access

Mar 28, 2017 Word for Word Media

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Choosing a suitable site is especially important when treating a child with cancer, and all measures to try and reduce the stress and anxiety related to this event for the child are vital. Dr Wainwright, a paediatric oncologist, explains how this is done as well as highlights the importance of looking after the veins and preserving them for future use.

For both parent and child, choosing a vein for venous access is an important issue. Counselling is a must – explaining to both parent and child what is going to be done, how and…

In the Spotlight Dogs can sniff out cancer

Jan 2, 2017 Word for Word Media

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Currently, doctors only use three primary senses to diagnose a patient: hearing, sight, and touch. But, why use three senses when we could be using four? This is where our furry friends come in, adding the fourth sense – olfaction – to help diagnose cancer. In no way is it suggested to replace medical equipment or diagnosis; dogs are simply adding to the equation.

Searching for cancer through volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a relatively new idea in science, with huge possibilities. Published studies from all over the world are proving accuracy levels that are beyond current available machines’…