Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town is confident that the use of technology continues to aid the fight against cancer. A number of machines – some new and some which have been re-introduced to the facility – are helping to save lives, and improve the quality of life for patients receiving treatment.
The hospital hosted a media tour this week, where specialists working in the hospital’s oncology department gave a breakdown of what each machine does, and how they benefit cancer patients.
CT-SIMULATOR: A FIRST IN SOUTH AFRICA
The first machine shown was the CT simulator. The specific model, the 128-slice Siemens Somatom Go.Open Pro is the first in South Africa.
The head of medical physics at Groote Schuur Hospital, Dr Nanette Joubert shared why the machine (valued at about R19 million) is significant:
“What makes this one very special, is that it has a wide bore. There’s a bigger area for the patient to pass through which improves the patient experience and also for the immobilization equipment to pass through that bore, together with the patient.”
The deputy manager for medical physics, Dr Annemarie Groenewald also shared her views:
Dr Annemarie Groenewald explains what it does: pic.twitter.com/pvInjfcPOp
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“Because this is the second CT scanner in our department, it means that we can scan more patients. We can reduce waiting times for patients, which means they can get treatment faster. The image quality on this scanner is exceptional which means that if you can see better, we can plan and treat better.
ORTHOVOLTAGE TREATMENT: ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN WESTERN CAPE
The medical facility also installed an orthovoltage treatment unit in March 2023. The unit is the only one of its kind in the Western Cape.
Dr Julie Wetter, a specialist in radiation oncology says the hospital hasn’t had a machine like this in over a decade:
“We’re extremely excited to have this machine again, after all this time. It’s quite versatile. In the past, we had 2 machines that was needed to do what this 1 machine does. We can treat very small skin cancers, that are very superficial and then we can also do multiple beam arrangements that will allow us to treat slightly bigger tumours or deeper tumours, so it’s very versatile.”
With the Bravos in the same unit as the CT-simulator, patients now have access to modern 3D planning for brachytherapy. Speaking is Dr Nazia Fakie pic.twitter.com/asDMDh49MA
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BRACHYTHERAPY: FIRST OF ITS KIND IN AFRICA
And last but not least, Brachytherapy is a radiotherapy technique, where a small radioactive source is used to treat cancer. This treatment has been done at Groote Schuur Hospital, since the 1960s. In March 2018, the facility installed the Bravos brachytherapy after loader, the first of its kind in Africa, coupled with a modern treatment planning system.
Dr Nazia Fakie is a radiation oncologist, with a special interest in gynecological cancers.
“Not a lot of people know what Brachytherapy is. It’s placing a radioactive source near to the cancer so that you can protect the organs, around the cancer, for example with cervical cancer – which it’s used quite a lot for – it’s to protect the rectum and bladder. Brachytherapy is what we use to potentially cure the cancer. To cure the cancer, you need very high doses of radiation.”
Fakie shed more light on brachytherapy: pic.twitter.com/14WeZc2imO
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68-year-old Ester Stephanus is one of the patients, who’s receiving brachytherapy treatment. The grandmother from Westridge, Mitchell’s Plain was diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer late last year.
Stephanus was diagnosed late last year, and says her experience at the medical facility has been unmatched as doctors and nurses go the extra mile, to numb her fears and make her deal safe.
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“I want to tell the cancer patients out there, if you’re not feeling well or you feel you need a doctor, don’t delay it because you’d really be doing harm to yourself. Receiving treatment is the most important aspect of your health. With the help of the doctors and the treatment received, you will know that “I can be healed”.”
