Ovarian Cancer | oncology buddies your guide to cancer care

Ovarian Cancer Jacqui O’Sullivan – Finding strength in community

March 31, 2025 Word for Word Media

Jacqui O’Sullivan shares a glimpse of her ongoing battle with ovarian cancer and how her community is pulling her through.

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

Jacqui O’Sullivan lives in Johannesburg, Gauteng with her husband and two sons. The past five months have been a whirlwind; an unexpected, life-altering journey that I never saw coming. It began with subtle yet persistent symptoms: weight gain, bloating, and pain in my left groin that lingered for 18 months. Like many women, I chalked it up to perimenopause. The pain worsened, and despite two…

Ovarian Cancer New hope in PARP inhibitors

March 31, 2025 Word for Word Media

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Dr Trudy Smith shares how advancements in genetics and targeted therapies, such as PARP inhibitors, are reshaping the landscape of ovarian cancer.

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

Ovarian cancer is one of the most challenging malignancies to diagnose and treat, due in part to the lack of early symptoms and effective screening methods. By the time many women are diagnosed, the disease has often progressed to an advanced stage, which reduces the likelihood of successful treatment. However, with advancements in genetics and targeted therapies, there is increasing hope for…

Ovarian Cancer Know your hereditary risk for developing ovarian cancer

March 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Genetic counsellor, Monica Araujo, helps us understand the hereditary risk and factors for developing ovarian cancer.

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

What is ovarian cancer? The ovaries are a pair of female organs that produce hormones and eggs for sexual reproduction. In ovarian cancer, certain cells in the ovary become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumour. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells make new cells that aren’t needed by the body and don’t die when they should. Cancer cells can also grow into other tissues. Over…

Frequently Asked Questions Ovarian cancer – Frequently Asked Questions

March 31, 2023 Word for Word Media

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In observation of World Ovarian Cancer Day (8th May), the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition answers the most frequently asked questions regarding ovarian cancer.

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

What are the ovaries? The ovaries are two small organs, each around the size of an almond or your fingertip. They are located low in the tummy area called the pelvis. They are a part of a woman’s reproductive organs, storing her supply of eggs. Each month an egg is released from one of the ovaries and travels through…

Girl Talk Ovarian cysts

June 1, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Sumayya Ebrahim explains why women get ovarian cysts, how are they treated and if they can become cancerous.

Almost all genetic females will have two ovaries that form part of the internal reproductive organs. Each is situated lower down in the pelvic region of the body. The function of the ovaries is to produce hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Ovaries are also responsible for storing all our eggs, from the time of birth until none are left at menopause. It’s within each ovary that the cyclical process of ovulation takes place. An ovarian cyst is…

Ovarian Cancer Ovarian Cancer Patient Journey

February 8, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Here is a patient journey to help show you what your treatment may look like if you are diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Click here to download a PDF of the ovarian cancer patient journey.

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

References American Cancer Society (ACS). Ovarian Cancer Detailed Guide. American Cancer Society, Inc. February 2016:1-63. Jasen P. From the “silent killer” to the “whispering disease”: ovarian cancer and the uses of metaphor. Med Hist. 2009;53(4):489-512. Armstrong DK, Plaxe SC, Alvarez RD et al. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology…

Ovarian Cancer Advances in treating ovarian cancer

February 7, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Trudy Smith tells us more about how ovarian cancer is diagnosed and the new advances in treatment. Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third most common cancer of the reproductive organs, following cervical and uterine cancer. It usually affects women between the ages of 50 and 70 and although possible, rarely affects women below age 40. If it does occur in younger patients, this may be as a result of a genetic predisposition to OC. Approximately 25% of OCs are part of a familial cancer syndrome which results from inherited changes in certain genes. Risk factors Older age -…

Ovarian Cancer Taking a giant leap – Sarah Smit

May 30, 2019 Word for Word Media

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When faced with an ovarian cancer diagnosis three months before your wedding, at the age of 25, what do you do? Sarah Smit bravely chose to go ahead with the wedding plans. Sarah Smit (28) lives in Centurion, Gauteng with her husband, Pieter. Sarah and Pieter met on New Year’s Eve in 2008. They started dating and in July 2015, Pieter proposed. Sarah said yes and their wedding was set for 1st October 2016. Flu-like symptoms In May 2016, Sarah went to a doctor. “I had flu-like symptoms since the beginning of the year. I would get better, then a few…

Girl Talk Breastfeeding and ovarian cancer

May 30, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Dr Sumayya Ebrahim addresses the important questions around breastfeeding and ovarian cancer. The benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby are widely proven and accepted. The anti-cancer benefits of breastfeeding, in relation to breast cancer, are also firmly established. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life for the health of both mother and child, and continuation of breastfeeding for two years and beyond, alongside other food and drinks. Ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women. It’s responsible for more deaths than any other cancer of the female…