Lung Cancer Archives

Know your cancer Lung cancer causes in people who have never smoked

September 30, 2026 Word for Word Media

Dr Ronwyn van Eeden helps us understand why people who never smoked get lung cancer.

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

Lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide but remains the leading cause of cancer-related death. When most people think of lung cancer, they immediately think of smoking. While smoking remains the most important risk factor for lung cancer, there is another group of patients who are often overlooked: people who develop lung cancer despite having never smoked. As smoking rates have declined in many parts of…

Lung Cancer Christa Mather – One foot in front of the other

September 30, 2026 Word for Word Media

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Most people would be devastated to hear they have lung cancer, but once Christa Mather learnt that a targeted therapy offered new hope for people with the type of cancer she has, she simply put one foot in front of the other.

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

Christa Mather (65) lives in Parktown, Gauteng with her husband, Warren. They have a daughter, Katherine (32). Around April 2024, Christa developed a cough. “It was non-stop coughing; I couldn’t even talk, which isn’t a bad thing. It felt like something…

Lung Cancer Bessie van Antwerp – Finally on target

October 1, 2025 Word for Word Media

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After eight years of changing treatment regimens to manage Stage 4 lung cancer, Bessie van Antwerp happily reports a major tumour shrinkage thanks to the targeted drug, osimertinib.

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

Bessie van Antwerp (73) lives in Weltevreden Park, Gauteng with her husband, Frans. They have two children and two grandchildren. When Bessie was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015, her concern was that it was related to the breast cancer she had been treated for (lumpectomy and radiation) in 1988. The…

Lung Cancer Kathryn Wright – A surreal dream

December 2, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Kathryn Wright was diagnosed with three primary cancers at once: two different breast cancers and lung cancer. She shares what she calls a surreal dream. Kathryn Wright (69) lives in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). She is a recent widow and has three children and six grandchildren. Early in 2017, at the age of 62, Kathryn noticed a change in the shape of her left breast. She had a mammogram done in Nelspruit, South Africa which showed a small lesion. A biopsy was done, and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was referred to a breast specialist based in…

Lung Cancer The diagnostic journey of lung cancer

September 30, 2024 Word for Word Media

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Dr Thobile Goba-Mjwara describes the diagnostic journey of lung cancer and how new treatments and biomarker tests are leading the way to hope.

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

Lung cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, accounting for over two million new cases from 2013 to 2019. More than two thirds of lung cancer patients are diagnosed at a late stage. Even with treatment, five-year survival rates are lowest. In SA, lung cancer ranks as the number one cause of cancer deaths. It’s estimated…

Frequently Asked Questions Lung cancer – Frequently Asked Questions

July 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) shares the most common questions that are asked regarding lung cancer.

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

What is lung cancer? Cancer that starts in the lungs; it may spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body, such as the brain. Cancer from other organs also may spread to the lungs. Lung cancers usually are grouped into two main types: small cell and non-small cell (including adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma). These two types grow differently and are treated differently. Non-small…

Lung Cancer Making peace with my new lifestyle

November 28, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Mother of two, Rene Abdullah, tells us how she handled the loss of her career as a personal trainer after being diagnosed with EGFR positive non-small cell lung cancer. Rene Abdullah (52) lives in Bryanston, Gauteng with her husband and two children. Diagnosis Rene was diagnosed with Stage 2 EGFR positive non-small cell lung cancer in February 2010. “I was in Cape Town on holiday and started having a persistent cough. After two courses of antibiotics, I was still coughing. It was suggested that I have a chest X-ray; a small nodule on the lower lobe of my left lung was found….

Lung Cancer Trish Blackburn – Que sera, sera

October 1, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Metastatic lung cancer survivor, Trish Blackburn, tells us why she avoids gloom and doom doctors and how she keeps on pushing on. Trish Blackburn (57) lives in Sandringham, Gauteng with her husband, Chris. They have three adult sons and one grandchild. In November 2020, Trish experienced pain in the area of her kidneys and had shortness of breath. Since COVID was rife at this time, she went for many COVID tests, but they were negative. When the pain became unbearable, she went to hospital and was admitted. After a scan, a lung biopsy was performed. “That biopsy isn’t recommended for sissies,”…

Lung Cancer Millicent Mavhungu – Grateful for every day

October 1, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Having survived COVID while in hospital after being diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, Millicent Mavhungu is grateful to her doctors for saving her life. Millicent Mavhungu (48) lives in Vosloorus, Gauteng with her husband, Doctor, and their three children. In November 2020, Millicent’s legs were swollen and sore. She went to her GP and he treated her for arthritis, giving her an injection and oral tablets. She started to work again but felt very weak and had shortness of breath. “I thought it was COVID, but the test results came back negative.” A week later, Millicent collapsed at home and was rushed…

Lung Cancer Lung cancer – know the risk factors and symptoms

July 27, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Cancer affects one in four South Africans through diagnosis of family, friends, colleagues or self. In South Africa, lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer in men.1 Earlier detection of lung cancer is imperative to improve the survival rates of this disease.2

Learn about lung cancer Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Lung cancer occurs when these cells begin to grow in the lungs and may spread to other organs in the body.3 There are two main kinds of lung…

Know your cancer Current treatment options for advanced lung cancer in SA

May 27, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Sze Wai Chan clears up the complexity of understanding lung cancer and its treatment. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. It’s the second commonest cancer in both sexes. It falls right behind prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. When patients are diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, the prognosis is usually very poor (< 1 year with traditional chemotherapy). However, in the past 10 years, the development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy has changed the survival of these patients drastically. Most lung cancers are caused by smoking (85-90% of patients). However, ‘never smokers’ can develop lung cancer, too. Never…

Lung Cancer NSCLC ALK+ Lung Cancer Patient Journey

May 25, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Oncology Buddies is proud to present the first Advanced NSCLC ALK+ lung cancer patient journey for your ease of reference and understanding of the route your journey may look like. Please note: this patient journey is only for ALK+ lung cancer and not applicable for all lung cancer patients.