Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
02 January 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs
UFS scientists contribute to the battle against cancer
From top left, moving clockwise: Dr Nerina van der Merwe, Dr Osayande Evbuomwan, Prof Alicia Sherriff, Profs Andreas Roodt and Alice Brink.

Cancer stands as a prominent contributor to deaths worldwide, with a big impact on families and communities. Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in the world. The recent diagnoses of cervical cancer are 10 702 annually, with 5 870 patients passing away. Female breast cancer surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2020 (American Cancer Society), representing 11,7% of all cancer cases, making it the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Researchers at the university are doing their part in the fight against cancer.

Treating prostate cancer

In July 2021, Dr Osayande Evbuomwan, Senior Lecturer and Medical Specialist in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, along with a team of university doctors, initiated patient treatment using radioligand therapy (RLT). This targeted nuclear medicine therapy delivers high radiation levels precisely to cancer cells, minimising damage to normal organs and tissue, a benefit not typically provided by conventional therapies.

It was the first time that Lutetium 177 PSMA – a type of PRRT – has been used to treat patients with metastatic castrateresistant prostate cancer (MCRPC) in the Free State, providing hope when standard treatments and conventional therapy are not an option. This treatment generally enhances quality of life, slows disease progression, and extends overall survival, with minimal side effects.

All three patients treated with Lu 177 PSMA so far have completed at least four therapy cycles and tolerated it well. The first two patients, while initially responding well, sadly passed away due to unrelated causes. The third case stands out as the most successful, responding excellently to seven treatment cycle and remaining in good health.

Dr Evbuomwan recently also obtained a license for a more effective therapy, AC 225 PSMA, as an alternative to Lu 177 PSMA.

Precise cervical cancer therapy

Medical personnel at the Universitas Academic Hospital also became the first in Southern Africa to use interstitial brachytherapy as a method for treating cervical cancer. Prof Alicia Sherriff, Head of the Department of Oncology, explains that brachytherapy – a form of internal radiation therapy – places the radiation source near or inside the cancer. “Precise delivery of curative doses to the cancer protects surrounding organs such as the bladder, rectum, and small bowel,” she explains.

Three to five weekly brachytherapy sessions under conscious sedation usually begins after two weeks of daily external beam radiation. On brachytherapy days, external beam radiation is not administered. “The intracavitary brachytherapy applicators are placed within the cervix and uterus and deliver high doses locally, but for surrounding tissue infiltration, additional needles are inserted via the Venezia applicator, delivering high-dose radiation while sparing organs,” says Prof Sherriff.

Their work aligns with the broader goals of the university and its commitment to advancing health care in the region by ensuring the continued growth of their skills and technology, while applying these skills to improve the possibility of disease control, cure or palliation with quality of life.

Familial breast and ovarian cancer testing

Dr Nerina van der Merwe, a principal medical scientist in the Division of Human Genetics, and colleagues are engaged in breast cancer research. They are involved in translational research using new technologies that, once validated as a first-tier diagnostic test, could revolutionise genetic testing for familial breast and ovarian cancer in South Africa when used in conjunction with genetic counselling. This parallel application is ideally suited for primary hospitals and rural clinics, as it will dramatically increase accessibility and uptake of genetic testing in rural areas.

By performing first-tier genetic testing at a community clinic, patients no longer have to be transported to tertiary hospitals for testing, and more patients and related family members who are unaware of a familial predisposition will be reached. “By warning unaffected related individuals about their potential increased risk, we can play a part in the earlier detection or diagnosis of patients, improving their cancer survival rate,” states Dr Van der Merwe.

Patenting cancer research

Prof Andreas Roodt, a retired Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry, and colleagues – particularly Prof Alice Brink and co-worker Prof Roger Alberto from the University of Zurich – have published widely on the chemistry of radiopharmaceutical models. Since the 2000s, the world has introduced the concept of ‘theranostics,’ which involves the use of a single compound for both cancer detection and therapy. “These compounds contain a radioisotope that provides internal radiation for cancer detection (diagnostic) and a second part for treatment,” explains Prof Roodt.

Their research enables the high-yield preparation of compounds containing multiple isotopes often present in very low concentrations. “This allows combining diagnostic isotopes such as technetium-99m (used in >80% of diagnostic patient studies worldwide) with therapeutic radioisotopes, such as rhenium-186 (used for bone cancer therapy), with ease. Many therapeutic radioisotopes do not have good diagnostic radiation; thus, by combining the two types of radioisotopes in one medicine, the oncologist can now clearly see where the therapeutic part is going and apply more effective treatment,” he says.

News Archive

Renowned forensic scientist speaks at the UFS
2014-04-02


Forensic science is about the truth. At the presentation delivered by Dr David Klatzow, were, from the left: Tinus Viljoen, lecturer in Forensic Genetics, Dr Klatzow and Laura Heathfield, also a lecturer in Forensic Genetics.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs 

It is necessary for more research to be done in the field of forensic science in South Africa. This is according to Dr David Klatzow, well-known forensic scientist, during a lecture delivered at the University of the Free State (UFS) last week.

The university is offering, for the first time this year, a BSc degree in Forensic Science in the Department of Genetics. This three-year degree is, among others, directed at people working for the South African Police Service on crime scenes and on criminal cases in forensic laboratories. Students can also study up to PhD level, specialising in various forensic fields.

There is no accredited forensic laboratory in South Africa. “It is time to look differently at forensic science, and to deliver research papers on the subject. In light of the manner in which science is applied, we have to look differently at everything,” Dr Klatzow said.

Dr Klatzow praised the university for its chemistry-based course. “Chemistry is a strong basis for forensic science,” he said.

A paradigm shift in terms of forensic science is needed. Micro scratches on bullets, fingerprints, DNA, bite marks – all of these are forensic evidence that in the past led to people being wrongfully hanged. This evidence is not necessarily the alpha and omega of forensic science today. DNA, which seems to be the golden rule, can produce problems in itself. Because a person leaves DNA in his fingerprint, it is possible that DNA is transferred from one crime scene to another by forensic experts dusting for fingerprints. According to Dr Klatzow, this is only one of the problems that could be experienced with DNA evidence.

“No single set of forensic evidence is 100% effective or without problems. Rather approach the crime scene through a combination of evidence, by collecting fingerprints, DNA, etc. It is also very important to look at the context in which the events happened.

“A person sees what he expects to see. This causes huge problems in terms of forensic science. For example, if a criminal fits the profile of the perpetrator, it doesn’t follow that this specific criminal is the culprit. It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that isn’t so,” Dr Klatzow said.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept