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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

Help to rural women to become entrepreneurs
2006-10-24

Some of the guests who attended the ceremony were, from the left: Mr Donray Malabie (Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust), Ms Jemina Mokgosi (one of the ladies from Tabane Village who is participating in the Women in Agriculture project), Dr Limakatso Moorosi (Head: Veterinary Services, Free State Department of Agriculture), Prof Johan Greyling (Head: UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences) and Ms Khoboso Lehloenya (coordinator of the project from UFS Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences). Photo: Leonie Bolleurs\

Alexander Forbes and UFS help rural women to become entrepreneurs
 
Today, the Alexander Forbes Community Trust and the University of the Free State (UFS) joined forces to create an enabling environment for rural women to become players in the private sector.

Three years ago the UFS set up a unique small-scale household egg production project called Women in Agriculture in Thaba ‘Nchu as a pilot project. The project was officially launched today by Mr Donray Malabie, Head of the Alexander Forbes Community Trust.

The aim of the Women in Agriculture Project is to create jobs, provide food security and to help develop rural women into entrepreneurs. A total of 25 women based in Tabane Village in Thaba ‘Nchu are the beneficiaries of the project.

“This is the first project in the Free State the Alexander Forbes Community Trust is involved with.  The project would help rural women acquire the skills they need to run their own egg-production business from their homes,” said Mr Malabie. 

“The ongoing debate on the shortage of skills ignores the fact that people with little or no education at all also need training. This project is special to the Trust as it provides for the creation of sustainable jobs, food security and the transfer of much needed skills all at once, particularly at this level,” he said.

Every woman in the group started with two small mobile cages that housed 12 hens each. The units are low in cost, and made of commercially available welded mesh and a metal frame. Now, each woman has four cages with 48 hens. The group manages to collectively produce 750 eggs daily.

The eggs are currently sold to local businesses, including spaza shops and the women are using the income generated to look after their families and to further develop their business.

The Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS identified the project and did the initial research into the feasibility of setting up such a project.

“A demonstration and training unit has been established at the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre and the women attended a short practical training course. Subsidies are provided for feeding, together with all the material and the lay hens necessary for the start of the business,” said Ms Khoboso Lehloenya, coordinator of the project from the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences at the UFS. 

“The advantage in using lay hens is that they are resistant to diseases and the women will not need electric heating systems for the egg production,” said Ms Lehloenya. 

According to Ms Lehloenya, the women are already benefiting from their egg production businesses.  “Some of them have used the profit to buy school uniforms and tracksuits for their children and others are now able to make a monthly contribution to their household expenses,” said Ms Lehloenya. 
“In South Africa, possibly due to cultural reasons and circumstances, most black people prefer to eat older and tougher chickens, compared to younger soft commercially available broiler chickens. This preference creates a further advantage for the women. At the end of their production cycle, old hens can be sold for a higher price than point-of-lay or young hens. This brings in further money to pay for more hens,” said Ms Lehloenya.

The Alexander Forbes Trust contributed R191 000 towards the project aimed at expanding it to benefit 15 more women.

“We are in the process of recruiting an additional 15 women in Thaba ‘Nchu who will be trained by the Lengau Agricultural Development Centre in order to replicate the model and extend its reach”, said Ms Lehloenya.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za
20 October 2006

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