Prostate Cancer | oncology buddies your guide to cancer care

For the boys Prostate cancer – Am I covered?

Nov 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

Gillian Bruce, a senior case manager, answers imperative questions regarding prostate cancer and what medical aids will cover. A prostate cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and it’s hard to come to terms with not only for you, the patient, but for your family as well. Then there is the added stress of whether your medical aid will cover your treatment. This is why it’s vital to know what your Oncology Benefit includes as many only find out when treatment is declined. It’s also important to find out more about your type of cancer and whether it’s a prescribed minimum benefit (PMB) and the details of…

Prostate Cancer Free PSA testing for the win

Nov 24, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Astellas and The Prostate Cancer Foundation teamed up in September (Prostate Cancer Awareness Month) to provide free prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing. A total of 12 private hospitals took part in this initiative and a total of 1 241 PSA tests were carried out. The PSA test is a blood test to assist in the detection of prostate abnormalities. A high PSA score can be due to prostate cancer, an enlarged prostate, or an infection. The PSA is best done together with a digital rectal examination. The aim of this initiative was to raise awareness about the risks of prostate cancer and to encourage men to…

For the boys Making a brotherhood for male cancer survivors

Jul 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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We chat to prostate cancer survivor, David Lucas, who was recently selected as one of South Africa’s 2022 CANSA Relay For Life Global Hero of Hope. David Lucas (64) lives in Ennerdale, Gauteng with his wife. They have three children and five grandchildren. Diagnosis David was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011 by chance. “I went to the doctor to test if I had arthritis and the GP took blood samples. It turned out my prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was high and after further investigation, it was confirmed that I had Stage 1 prostate cancer,” David says. “I was initially ambivalent…

For the boys Prostate cancer terminology

Jul 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Dr Shivona Moodley expands on the common terminology that is used in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men with 1,4 million new cases being diagnosed in 2020, according to GLOBOCAN statistics. Southern Africa had the third highest worldwide mortality rates from PC. In South Africa, the National Cancer Registry 2014 report confirms that PC is the most common histologically-diagnosed malignancy in non-Caucasians, and the second most common cancer in Caucasians. Routes of spread PC starts in the cells of the prostate gland and the most common type of cancer found here is…

Patient Stories Andreas’ journey of hope

Jul 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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Andreas Kleynhans was first diagnosed with prostate cancer and then oesophageal cancer. He explains that how you think about your cancer determines your experience, adding that he decided to make something positive of it. Andreas Kleynhans (54) lives in Linden, Gauteng. Prostate cancer In March 2021, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer (Grade 1, slow-growing, small) after a routine check-up as I had an enlarged prostate for a few years already; active surveillance was advised. Seven months later, it had metastasised to my hip bone and was Grade 4. This was devastating news as I learnt that this type of cancer…

Oncology Man PSA vs DRE

Jul 29, 2022 Word for Word Media

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We hear the pros and cons of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE) for prostate cancer screening. With prostate cancer predicted to be the most common cancer in SA by 2030, more men are choosing to go for screening to ensure early detection. If detected early, prostate cancer is potentially curable. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa recommends informed patient-based screening in men with a life expectancy of more than 10 years in the following situations: From the age of 40 in black African men and in men who have a family history of prostate and/or…

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…

For the boys Inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer

Dec 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Genetic counsellor, Sarah Walters, educates us on the probabilities of inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men; approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed during their lifetime. Mostly, it’s diagnosed in men aged 65 and older. Risk factors include lifestyle, age, and ethnicity. Sometimes there is an inherited genetic predisposition to prostate cancer and this may have a considerable impact. Clues to understand whether your family may be at an increased risk include a family history of prostate and other cancers, such as breast cancer (in either men or women), ovarian cancer…

For the boys Prostate cancer in black men

Oct 1, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Black men have significant differences in incidence, presentation and outcome of prostate cancer compared to other racial groups. Multiple factors play a role including genetic differences and social determinants of health. Understanding these differences helps us to create better healthcare strategies for black men. Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in SA, surpassing basal cell cancer in the latest National Cancer Registry cancer report (2017).¹ PC is the second most common cause of death through a malignancy in SA, after lung cancer.² Internationally it has been found that black men with PC have worse outcomes than other…

For the boys Adapting to enjoy full sexual intimacy

Aug 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Dr Anthony Smith expands on ways to adapt after prostate cancer treatment so sexual function can be improved and sexual intimacy enhanced. The prostate’s anatomy is central to the nerves, muscles and vessels that supply the genitals so any damage to this area can have profound consequences. Its therefore no surprise that men fear this cancer and its potential to substantially damage their sexuality and masculine identity. So, let’s look at the side effects. Surgical treatments A cornerstone of treatment is a radical prostatectomy, now done as a nerve-sparing procedure which has improved the outcome such that up to 75% of men can expect to…

For the boys Mandla Zondo: lobbying hope

Aug 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Mandla Zondo tells us how losing his brother to prostate cancer in the same year he was diagnosed motivated him to lobby hope and in turn co-found CanSurvive Kwa-Thema Support Group. Mandla Zondo (72) lives in Springs, Gauteng. He is married and has two children and six grandchildren. Mandla started his yearly prostate cancer screening in 2011. In 2013, his GP referred him to a urologist as he had an enlarged prostate. Mandla’s prostate was so enlarged that it restricted urination and he had to undergo a cystoscopy (endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra). He was then put…

Patient Journey Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patient Journey

Aug 2, 2021 Word for Word Media

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Ferring in collaboration with The Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa are proud to present the first metastatic prostate cancer patient journey. This is the possible route of your treatment journey for your ease of reference and understanding. Click here to download a PDF of the metastatic prostate cancer patient journey.

References Moul J, et al. Rising serum PSA following local therapy for prostate cancer: Definition, natural history, and risk stratification. Official reprint from UpToDate. UpToDate. Waltham, MA, 2021. Kirby RS, Patel I. Fast Facts: Prostate Cancer. Eighth edition. Health Press Limited. Jan 2014. Kantoff PW, Taplin M-E, et al. Clinical…