Know your cancer Archives

Know your cancer Astrocytomas: what, where, how?

April 1, 2026 Word for Word Media

Dr Cathryn Walton explains how astrocytomas, a type of brain cancer, develop and how they are treated.

Receiving a diagnosis of a brain tumour can be an overwhelming experience, filled with great anxiety and uncertainty of what now? One of the most common types is the astrocytoma; they form 50% of all brain tumours diagnosed. What is an astrocytoma? An astrocytoma is a tumour that grows from brain cells called astrocytes; these are the cells in the brain that act as the dedicated support crew for the brain’s main cells, the nerve cells (neurons). Astrocytes are star-shaped cells…

Know your cancer Colorectal screening

February 3, 2026 Word for Word Media

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Dr Thobile Goba-Mjwara gives us a rundown on what is needed to implement a colorectal cancer screening programme in SA.

Short on time? Listen to the audio version of this article here, or by using your favourite podcast player

Colorectal cancer (CRC) accounts for about 10% of all malignancies, making it the third most common cancer worldwide. Incidence rates and mortality are, however, increasing in low and middle-income countries while stabilising in high-income countries. In recent years, CRC has been diagnosed at an earlier age with patients presenting with more advanced disease….

Cervical Cancer Cervical cancer screening

December 1, 2025 Word for Word Media

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Kusha Kalideen highlights the importance of cervical cancer screening and discusses the two options: Pap smear and HPV PCR test.

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

Cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in South African females, is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common viral infection that infects certain cells during skin-to-skin contact, often through sexual activity. There are several types of HPV, which can be classified into high-risk types (which are associated with the development of cervical cancer), and low-risk types (not typically associated with cancer). …

Know your cancer What is the Whipple procedure?

October 1, 2025 Word for Word Media

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Dr Leanne Prodehl explains the intricate process of the Whipple procedure.

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

A Whipple procedure, also known as a pancreaticoduodenectomy, is a complex surgery removing multiple abdominal organs. The procedure, first described in the 1930s and refined in the 1940s, is named after the surgeon who described it. The pancreas has two main functions: hormonal and digestion. One of the primary hormonal functions is control of blood glucose. It secretes insulin when the glucose is high and glucagon when it’s low….

Colon Cancer Colon cancer: when is surgery needed and when is chemotherapy needed?

February 10, 2025 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daniel Surridge, a colorectal surgeon, explains the cases in which surgery is needed and when chemotherapy is needed in colon cancer treatment.

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

When treating colon cancer, there are two options available: chemotherapy and surgery. Radiotherapy can be used in a few very exceptional cases, but these are rare and need to be considered carefully as the colon is very close to other organs that can be damaged by the radiation. Surgery for colon cancer Surgery can be used…

Cervical Cancer How is cervical cancer diagnosed?

December 1, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Dr Sumayya Ebrahim explains how cervical cancer is diagnosed and what the staging means.

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

What happens when a doctor is consulted? A careful history is taken. After this, an examination is performed. On examination, if the cancer is advanced, the doctor may feel a lump or growth on the cervix. Sometimes this growth can extend into the vagina and the tissues around the vagina, creating thickening and hardening of the tissues. With early cancers, sometimes these aren’t visible to the naked eye…

Know your cancer Stomach cancer

September 29, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daleen Geldenhuys educates us on stomach cancer and explains why nutritional support is imperative.

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

What is stomach cancer? There are several cancers that can originate in the stomach. These include MALT lymphomas, neuroendocrine tumours, and adenocarcinomas, which will be focused on below. Adenocarcinomas Adenocarcinomas can vary in position in the stomach. It can be a localised ulcer in any part of the stomach or a widespread infiltration in the lining of the stomach, not showing a superficial ulcer, resulting in a…

Childhood Cancer Hepatoblastoma

July 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Prof Gita Naidu educates us on hepatoblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the liver.

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

What is hepatoblastoma? Hepatoblastoma is a cancer of the liver in children under three years of age and affects 1-2 million children globally. Symptoms A painful lump in the middle or upper right side of the abdomen. Nausea and vomiting Loss of appetite Yellow-coloured skin or eyes Unexplained weight loss What causes hepatoblastoma? Premature birth Low birth weight Early exposure to hepatitis B Biliary atresia Hemihyperplasia Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome Familial…

Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer

May 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daleen Geldenhuys gives us an explanatory rundown on colorectal cancer and the treatment thereof.

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

Incidence Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a frequent cancer worldwide and can be prevented by early detection and removal of precancerous lesions. It’s the third most common malignancy and the second most deadly cancer worldwide. There is an estimated 1.9 million incidence cases and 0.9 million deaths worldwide every year. The incidence of CRC is higher in highly developed countries, and it’s increasing in middle- and low-income countries due to westernisation. Moreover,…

Kidney Cancer Kidney cancer

February 8, 2023 Word for Word Media

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

Dr Daleen Geldenhuys educates us on kidney cancer and the treatment thereof. Kidney cancer, commonly known as renal cell carcinoma (RCC), originates within the renal cortex (outer layer of the kidney as opposed to the urine collecting system), and constitutes 80 to 85% of primary renal tumours. Urothelial carcinomas of the renal collecting system accounts for approximately 8% of kidney tumours, and other tumours, such as oncocytomas, collecting duct tumours, and renal sarcomas, are rare. Nephroblastoma (Wilms tumour) is a primitive tumour common in children…

Know your cancer Synovial sarcoma

July 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daleen Geldenhuys educates us on what synovial sarcoma is, the two types you get, the causes, treatment and prognosis. Synovial sarcoma is a soft tissue tumour. It’s rare overall but more common in certain age groups. About one to three people in a million receive a diagnosis of this disease each year. Synovial sarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue tumours in adolescents and young patients. Approximately one third of cases occur in the first two decades of life. The mean age of patients at diagnosis is approximately 30 years. It’s associated with a history of a small nodule that…

Know your cancer Sarcoma cancer

June 1, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Daleen Geldenhuys describes where sarcoma cancer forms in the body, how it can be treated and the likelihood of progression. Sarcomas are different to carcinomas. They arise from a different layer of tissue that can be best understood by knowing the embryological origin of tissues in the body. The trilaminar or three-layered disc (embryo) develops three weeks after conception. It consists of the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. These layers are arranged on top of each other. The mesoderm will become the cartilage, bone, fascia, smooth or skeletal muscle, blood vessels, lymph vessels and coverings of organs, such as mesothelium….