FebMar 2023 Archives

Bile Duct Cancer Nicole Coppin – Six years’ cancer-free

February 8, 2023 Word for Word Media

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

Single mother, Nicole Coppin, shares her story of having periampullary adenocarcinoma (a bile and pancreatic duct cancer). What is periampullary carcinoma? Periampullary carcinoma is a broad term used to define the group of carcinomas arising from the head of the pancreas, the distal common bile duct, and the first part of the small intestine. Nicole Coppin (46) lives in Edenvale, Gauteng with her 14-year-old son, Joey. In March 2016, it was found that Nicole had a tumour around her bile and pancreatic duct; this was after…

Side Effects Sleep disorders in 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 Michelle King advocates informing your doctor about your sleep issues to help have a better treatment plan in place that adds quality to your life, mental well-being and physical health. Having a good night’s rest isn’t just about waking up, feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. If you’re not sleeping well it can impact your health, mental well-being and your prognosis. Poor sleep may cause you to feel irritable and depressed the next day. It can lead to concentration problems, forgetfulness, and fatigue….

Complementary Therapy Body Stress Release

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

Kathy Heapy explains what Body Stress Release is and the benefits of this non-invasive complementary therapy. What is Body Stress Release? Body Stress Release (BSR) is a unique, gentle and non-invasive health profession that originated in SA over 30 years ago. It’s a health practice that limits itself to its own area of expertise: locating and releasing of body stress. BSR isn’t involved in diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions, thus doesn’t duplicate medical services. BSR has thus always enjoyed a co-operative relationship with medicine by…

Colorectal Cancer Colorectal cancer: frequently asked questions

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

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) shares the most frequently asked questions about colorectal cancer symptoms and screening. What is colorectal cancer? Colorectal cancer is a malignant (cancerous) disease in which cells in the colon or rectum grow and multiply out of control. Because the rectum is part of the colon (the large intestine/bowel), cancer of either the colon or rectum (passageway that connects the colon to the anus) is referred to as colorectal cancer. It’s sometimes referred as colon cancer. Does…

Anal Cancer Anal cancer treatment

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 Sarita Retief helps us better understand the treatment of all stages of anal cancer by sharing a patient story. What is anal cancer? Anal cancer is when normal cells lining the anus change into abnormal cells and grow out of control. The anus is the last part of the digestive tract, where bowel movements leave the body. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from cancers that grow downwards from the rectum (rectal cancers) or cancers that grow inwards from the skin of the buttocks…

Skin Cancer Unusual places you get melanoma

February 8, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Dr Mia Hugo enlightens us on the unusual places you can get melanoma. A few years back, a patient gave me a great book: The Emperor of All Maladies: A biography of cancer. If cancer is the emperor, then melanoma is the spy who came in from the cold. Melanoma is the cloak and dagger tumour that can hide in plain sight as an innocent looking amelanotic melanoma to deeply hidden melanoma in the back of the eye or in the lining of the small intestine. I was…

Leukaemia What is CAR T-cell therapy?

February 8, 2023 Word for Word Media

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Dr Lucille Sarah Singh details how CAR T-cell therapy works and how it will fit in the SA healthcare system. CAR T-cell therapy is the new kid on the block in the armamentarium of immunotherapy and cell and gene-based therapy. If nothing else, the COVID pandemic has put our immune systems under the spotlight; we have a heightened awareness of the exquisite repertoire of biological responses happening in our bodies on a daily basis to clear foreign invaders. These foreign invaders can be viruses and bacteria, but did you…

Treatment Implanted materials and radiotherapy – what is safe?

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

René Botha explains the impact that implanted materials have on radiotherapy treatment. Radiotherapy is a treatment modality used to treat various malignancies throughout the body. Treatment courses generally range from one to 10 days for palliative treatments to five to seven weeks for cases treated with curative intent. Delivery of contemporary radiotherapy involves personalised planning using sophisticated computer software that takes into account the various densities of different tissues. Implanted materials, like dental restorations, orthopaedic implants, breast expanders and medical devices, all need to be carefully…

In the Spotlight Lenalidomide added to the Essential Medicines List

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

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…