Nov/Dec 2019 Archives - Oncology Buddies

Patient Stories On top of the world – Lance Bainbridge

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

Lance Bainbridge tells us about the gifts that stomach cancer gave him and how he rediscovered his passion for surfing and playing guitar after he beat it. Lance Bainbridge (51) lives in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal with his wife, Jane, and their four children, Luke (20), Peter and Philip (17), and Rebecca (10). Not many people will associate cancer as a giving disease, yet Lance feels that his cancer has given him many gifts. He says, “My faith in God has always been a big part of my life since I first became a Christian as a teenager. However, when I…

Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy for head and neck cancers

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Dr Mariza Tunmer informs us about the common side effects experienced by patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. One of the treatment modalities that may be used to treat head and neck cancers is radiotherapy. For patients requiring a long course of radiotherapy, usually over six to seven weeks, often chemotherapy is combined with radiotherapy. The chemotherapy may be given once a week or every three weeks, depending on the chosen dosing-schedule. Radiotherapy and the combination of chemotherapy with radiotherapy may result in significant side effects and it’s important to know what to expect before starting treatment. Early or acute…

Cancer Care Reconnect with nature

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Far too often we forget the miraculous and incredible natural environment in which we live. Slow down and embrace the simple pleasures of nature and feel revived. Be in a nature mind-set Recognise that nature is not just a word, and the environment is not simply something we desperately need to take care of. But that it’s the air we breathe, and the space we thrive in. Go outside, lie on the ground and feel the dirt. Let your bare feet touch the grass. Stargaze As the sun is setting, take your kids outside, lift your eyes upward and stare into the…

Prostate Cancer Prostate brachytherapy

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Dr Nirasha Chiranjan explains how prostate brachytherapy works. Prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels have led to prostate cancer being increasingly diagnosed. Common symptoms of prostate cancer are difficulty urinating, reduced stream of urine, blood in the semen, erectile dysfunction and discomfort in the pelvic area. The initial treatment options for patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer consists of active surveillance, radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy. The choice of treatment is determined by clinical stage, PSA level, Gleason score, patient preference, life expectancy, patient functional status and resource availability1-3. What…

Prostate Cancer Hormone therapy in prostate cancer – Part 2

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Dr Sithembile Ngidi goes into detail about the three types of hormone therapy for prostate cancer and their side effects. Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists Also called GnRH agonists, LHRH analogs, are injected as small implants under the skin. Depending on the drug used, they are given anywhere from once a month up to once a year e.g. leuprolide and goserelin. When LHRH agonists are first given, testosterone levels go up briefly before falling to very low levels. This effect is called testosterone flare and results from the complex way in which these drugs work. Men who have urinary…

Prostate Cancer Living with prostate cancer

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Chief Moabi tells us how he lives his life with prostate cancer, the side effects of hormone therapy, and how the Tsakane CanSurvive Support Group has helped him. Chief Moabi (67) lives in Tsakane, Gauteng with his wife, Nkele. They have one adult son (28) and two grandchildren. Four years ago, in 2015, Chief went to Tsakane Clinic for a check-up. He wasn’t in pain and was feeling fine. Though, every six months he would do a health check, checking for HIV, TB and the sorts. It was here where it was picked up that he may have prostate cancer. The…

Oncofertility My little rainbow child

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Candice Hamer shares why her baby daughter, Charlotte, is her best present of all after undergoing embryo cryopreservation and facing Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer. Candice Hamer (32) lives in Meyersdal, Gauteng with her husband, Warren (41), and their five-month-old daughter, Charlotte. Since Warren and Candice got married in 2015, starting a family was always on the cards. Candice fell pregnant in October 2016, but unfortunately lost the baby at nine weeks. A month later, she found a lump high up in her right breast. She says it was easy to feel and was growing. Diagnostic tests were done and three lesions of…

Treatment Reliable medicine supply keeps oncology treatments on track

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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The careful handling and transport of chemotherapy drugs is fundamental to the treatment patients receive. We hear more about how Medipost Pharmacy gets this right. From the time an oncology practice places an order with the dispensing pharmacy until the moment it reaches the practice where it will be mixed and administered to patients, the highest level of care is required to ensure that the right medicine reaches its destination safely, reliably, and in optimal condition. Supplier of choice Martie Duminy, a pharmacist at Hermanus Oncology, says that she has had an association of some six years’ standing with Medipost Pharmacy….

Lung Cancer Lung cancer treatment in 2019

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Medical oncologist, Dr Sze Wai Chan, informs us of all we need to know about how lung cancer has been treated in 2019. Lung cancer is common and is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In South Africa, it often gets confused with the epidemic of TB. The signs and symptoms of TB are very similar to lung cancer and investigations for TB often delay the actual investigations and diagnosis of lung cancer. Common signs and symptoms Cough that doesn’t go away in a few weeks. Coughing up blood Short of breath Chest pain Loss of weight Night sweats Hoarseness…

Childhood Cancer Dream Rooms

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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We hear about The Reach For A Dream Foundation’s latest project: Dream Rooms and how they are sanctuaries for children with life-threatening illnesses. The Reach For A Dream Foundation initiative that was launched in 2018, Dream Rooms are dedicated spaces in hospitals for children who are facing life-threatening illnesses and undergoing treatment. The Dream Rooms are sanctuaries for the brave children, from the ages of three to 18, and parents who need a safe place to relax in hospital and escape the clinical surroundings. Families can spend time in bright and colourful areas that inspire hope and where children can experience the joy of being a child. Due…

Childhood Cancer The Wend – virtual relaxation therapy

November 27, 2019 Word for Word Media

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Recently, blood disease patients receiving treatment at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, in KwaZulu-Natal, experienced virtual relaxation therapy. We hear about the positive effects. The Sunflower Fund proactively creates awareness and education about blood diseases as well as the process involved in becoming a stem cell donor. They remain a Registry of donors that is representative of the people groups in our rainbow nation, who are willing to help anyone for whom they might be a match. With the support of sponsors, like The Wend, who generously supplied the visual relaxation as gifts to the patients, together they could…

Online Features Experiencing radiotherapy: what to know

October 28, 2019 Word for Word Media

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The three most common cancer treatments are surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These may be applied on their own or in a combination of one other. Icon Oncology takes a closer look at radiotherapy and its experience. Receiving radiation therapy Radiotherapy is a common form of therapeutic treatment that uses ionising radiation to eradicate or damage cancer cells. While the ideal situation is to cut the cancer out, it can be attached to the blood vessels and lymphatic tissue and this might not be possible. In this case, radiotherapy, which is a non-invasive treatment, might be recommended. Radiotherapy takes place at…