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#ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth: Early diagnosis is crucial, significantly improving survival rates

16 September 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Supplied

Dr Mampoi Jonas and Prof Jan Du Plessis — Dr Mampoi Jonas, senior lecturer in Paediatric Oncology and Prof Jan Du Plessis, Head of the Paediatric Oncology Unit at the University of the Free State (UFS).

A campaign like Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is vital in creating awareness and educating people about the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers. This can significantly improve the survival rate of young patients. More than 50% of people diagnosed with cancer live for more than five years, and some types of cancer have survival rates as high as 90%.

This is according to Prof Jan Du Plessis, Head of the Paediatric Oncology Unit, and Dr Mampoi Jonas, senior lecturer in Paediatric Oncology, at the University of the Free State (UFS).

“Early diagnosis is crucial because early-stage cancer is more responsive to treatment and less likely to be fatal. Due to the rarity of childhood cancer, many children get misdiagnosed or diagnosed too late with advanced stage disease. The delayed detection and diagnosis diminish the chances of successful treatment.

“Cancer awareness educates families, communities, primary-care nurses and doctors about the early signs and symptoms of certain cancers. When people are aware of these, they are more likely to be on the lookout for them when children present with suspicious clinical symptoms and signs. This also gives parents the confidence to seek help early and even make people better able to support those with the disease once a diagnosis is made,” say the paediatric oncologists.

Recorded incidences on the rise

Though childhood cancer is rare, representing only 1.2% of all cancers worldwide, the recorded incidences are increasing. In the US cancer is the number one cause of death among children, while more than 100 000 children worldwide die because of cancer.

Prof Du Plessis says there are more than 12 major types of childhood cancers and multiple subtypes. The most common types are leukaemia, lymphoma (tumours that begin in the lymph glands), brain tumours, nephroblastoma (cancer of the kidneys) and soft tissue sarcomas. Most cancers in children are thought to develop as a result of mutations in genes that lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer.

According to Dr Jonas, most cancers in children are thought to develop because of mutations in genes that lead to uncontrolled cell growth and eventually cancer. Although environmental pollutants have been implicated in some cancers, our experience has been that most paediatric cancers rather occur sporadically.

The reasons for the increase of reported incidence of cancer in children, could be to the increase in population numbers and better awareness of childhood cancers. Another reason might be that more children are being diagnosed who were previously misdiagnosed, explains Prof Du Plessis.

Treatments

Childhood cancers are treated with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy under the care of a paediatric oncologist. Not much can be done about the genetic mutations, but parents can ensure that their children stay safe in the sun (slip, slop, slap campaign – slip on a shirt, slop on some suncream and slap on a hat), get their children vaccinated against HPV infection, help their children stay active and keep a healthy weight and talk to them about smoking.

Prof Du Plessis says the South African paediatric oncology community are currently busy with a few research studies regarding standardising treatment protocols for certain childhood cancers. This is to find out how our children are responding to these protocols and to see if there are different factors affecting the outcomes of South African children. These protocols are based on international treatment protocols with a few adjustments for local circumstances and resources.

They are involved with the Hodgkins lymphoma, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, germ cell tumour studies and contributed to a research study evaluating the nutritional status and interventions to improve the nutritional status of local patients. Registrars presented local (Bloemfontein) data at an international conference (SIOP Africa) on hepatoblastomas and osteosarcomas.

“For many childhood cancer may not be a priority or something they would like to think about. Unfortunately for many of my patient’s parents the truth is that the day before their children were diagnosed with cancer, they were also not a cancer parent. However, their lives changed for ever with these four words: ‘Your child has cancer’.

“Childhood cancer is more than chemo and no hair. It is rather about resilience, strength, hope, family, courage, cuddles, and bravery. Your life will be changed for ever if you have ever seen a child fight cancer. Their smiles will make your heart melt and make you realise the importance of the simple things in life,” declare Prof Du Plessis and Dr Jonas.

Early warning signs for parents

The Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC) has a campaign which emphasises the importance of recognising the early warning signs of childhood cancer. They use Siluan’s Early Warning Signs to raise awareness and promote early diagnosis which are:

• S – Seek medical help early for ongoing symptoms

• I – White spot in the eye, new squint, sudden blindness or bulging eyeball.

• L – Lump on the stomach, pelvis, head, arms, legs, testicle, or glands

• U – Unexplained fever present for over two weeks, weight loss, fatigue, pale appearance, easy bruising, and bleeding

• A – Aching bones, joints, back, and easy fractures

• N – Neurological signs, a change in walk, balance or speech, regression, continuous headaches with/without vomiting, and an enlarged head

While these symptoms can be subtle or easily attributed to other causes, it’s important to consult a doctor if they persist or worsen. If you notice any of these symptoms in a child or teen, seek professional medical help promptly. Early detection of cancer saves lives in both children and teens.

News Archive

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

2006-02-07

Some of the guests who attended the workshop were from the left Prof James du Preez (Chairperson: Department of Biotechnology at the UFS); Prof Lodewyk Kock (Head: South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI) at the UFS)); Mrs Ina Wilken (Chairperson: South African National Consumer Union (SANCU)); Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS) and Mr Joe Hanekom (Managing Director of Agri Inspec).
Photo: Stephen Collet

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be investigating the implementation of a quality-monitoring service for the South African food industry.

This was decided during a workshop to discuss the external quality monitoring in the edible oil industry of South Africa, which was recently held at the UFS.

Major role players in the fast-food sector like Nando's, Spur, Captain
Dorego's, King Pie Holdings, Black Steer Holdings, etc and various oil
distributors like Felda Bridge Africa, Refill Oils, PSS Oils and Ilanga Oils attended
the workshop. Also present was Mrs Ina Wilken, Chairperson of the South African National Consumer Union (SANCU) and key-note speaker of this workshop. She represented the consumer.

These role players all pledged their support to the implementation of this quality- monitoring system for the whole food industry.

The decision to implement this system follows the various malpractices reported in the press and on TV concerning food adulteration (eg the recent Sudan Red Scare), misrepresentation (eg olive oil scandal exposed in 2001) and the misuse of edible frying oils by the fast-food sector.

“One of the basic rights of consumers is the right to safe food. Consumers must be protected against foods and food production processes which are hazardous to their health. Sufficient guarantee of the safety of all food products and food production processes should be implemented. It does not help to have adequate food standards and legislation and there is no manpower to do the necessary investigation or monitoring,” said Mrs Wilken.

The South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI), under the auspices of the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, currently monitors edible oils in the food industry and makes a seal of quality available to food distributors.

“Last week’s decision to implement the quality-monitoring system implies that we will now be involving also other departments in the UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences who are involved in various aspects of the food chain in an endeavor to implement this quality monitoring system,” said Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS and one of the main speakers at the workshop.

Prof van Schalkwyk said that the main aim of such a system will be to improve the competitiveness of the South African food industry. “It is clear that the role players attending the workshop are serious about consumer service and that they agree that fraudulent practice should be monitored and corrected as far as possible. Although some of the food outlets have the capacity to monitor the quality of their food, it may not seem to the consumer that this is an objective process. The proposed external monitoring system would counteract this perception amongst consumers,” said Prof van Schalkwyk.

The workshop was also attended by representatives from SAFOI and Agri Inspec, a forensic investigation company collaborating with inter-state and government structures to combat fraud and international trade irregularities.

Agri Inspec has been working closely with SAFOI for a number of years to test the content of edible oils and fats. “Extensive monitoring and control actions have been executed in the edible oil industry during the past four years to ensure that the content and labeling of oil products are correct. Four years ago almost 90% of the samples taken indicated that the content differed from what is indicated on the label. This has changed and the test results currently show that 90% of the products tested are in order. However, to maintain this quality standard, it is necessary that quality monitoring and educational campaigns are continuously performed,” said Mr Joe Hanekom, Managing Director of Agri Inspec.

“The seal of quality presented by SAFOI should also be extended to include all the smaller oil containers used by households,” Mrs Wilken said.

The SAFOI seal of quality is currently displayed mainly on some oil brands packed in bigger 20 liter containers, which include sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc which are used by restaurants and fast food outlets. “Any oil type is eligible to display the seal when meeting certain standards of authenticity. In order to display the seal, the distributor must send a sample of each oil batch they receive from the manufacturer to SAFOI for testing for authenticity, ie that the container’s content matches the oil type described on the label. This is again double checked by Agri Inspec, which also draws samples countrywide from these certified brands from the end-user (restaurant or fast food outlets). If in breach, the seal must be removed from the faulty containers,” said Prof Lodewyk Kock, Head of SAFOI.

“It should however be taken into account that oils without a seal of quality from the UFS can still be of high quality and authentic. Other external laboratories equipped to perform effective authenticity tests may also be used in this respect,” said Prof Kock.

“It is also important to realise that any oil type of quality such as sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc can be used with great success in well controlled frying processes,” he said.

Further discussions will also be held with the Department of Health, the SA National Consumer Union and Agri Inspec to determine priority areas and to develop the most effective low-cost monitoring system.

More information on the UFS oil seal of quality and oil use can be obtained at www.uovs.ac.za/myoilguide

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

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