Browsing by Author "Botha, M. H."

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Bone involvement in patients with cervical carcinoma : a single-institution cohort study
    (Taylor & Francis, 2019-12-13) Butt, J. L.; Botha, M. H.
    Introduction: Bony metastases in cervical carcinoma are rare; however, autopsy studies indicate that they are underdiagnosed. A retrospective study was undertaken to describe the risk factors and tumour characteristics and estimate the prevalence of bone involvement in women with cervical cancer at a tertiary institution in South Africa. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of women with cervical cancer diagnosed between 2014 and 2015 was undertaken. Demographic, treatment and follow-up data were collected for all women with bone metastases confirmed by imaging. Descriptive statistics were generated. Results: The study identified 642 patients with cervical carcinoma, of whom 25 (3.89%) were diagnosed with bone involvement. Ten women had bone involvement at diagnosis and 15 women at recurrence, occurring a median of 286 days after primary treatment. Survival after the diagnosis of bone metastases was short, with 88% of patients dying within six months. The WHO performance status score at diagnosis was a significant predictor of survival (p = 0.024). A prognostic score was utilised and those with a high score had a significantly shorter survival (median 61 days) than those with a low score (median 158 days) (p = 0.0065). Conclusions: Although bone metastases are rare in women with cervical cancer, they are important to recognise. Healthcare workers should be vigilant regarding increased analgesic use and chronic pain, as these may indicate bone involvement. As survival is short, a prognostic score is valuable in tailoring treatment. A patient’s quality of life may be greatly improved by an appropriate radiotherapy and palliative care plan.
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    Cervical cancer prevention in South Africa : HPV vaccination and screening both essential to achieve and maintain a reduction in incidence
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group, 2015) Botha, M. H.; Richter, K. L.
    Cervical cancer rates remain high in South Africa, despite a cytology-based national screening programme. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is an important intervention that will benefit the younger generation. A school-based programme has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective and efficient way to administer the vaccinations. Education about HPV and cervical cancer will benefit children and their caregivers. Linkage of HPV vaccination with opportunistic screening of mothers may increase total programme coverage.
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    HPV vaccine : can we afford to hesitate?
    (Health & Medical Publication Group, 2014-08) Richter, K. L.; Dreyer, G.; Lindeque, B. G.; Botha, M. H.
    No abstract.
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    Mechanical bowel preparation in gynaecological surgery - are we doing more harm than good?
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG), 2007-11) Botha, M. H.
    Bowel preparation is still regarded as standard practice before extensive gynaecological surgery. It is requested routinely if there is a potential malignancy or if multiple adhesions are expected. This widely used practice is coming under increasing scrutiny, and our dogma needs to change.
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    Prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccination against cervical cancer : a summarised resource for clinicians
    (South African Society of Gynaecologic Oncology, 2011) Lindeque, B. G.; Dreyer, G.; Botha, M. H.; Moodley, T.; Soeters, R.; Smith, T.; Cooreman, B.; Guidozzi, F.; Hoosen, A.; Mouton, A.; Turner, A.; Koller, T.; Moodley, J.; Whittaker, R. J.; Williamson, A.; Rogers, L.; South African Human Papillomavirus Advisory Board
    Carcinoma of the cervix remains the most frequent cancer affecting women in South Africa. Twenty-three per cent of all reported cancers in women are of the uterine cervix. Cancer of the cervix resulted in an estimated 3 700 deaths in South Africa during 2002. The human papillomavirus (HPV) has been proven a potent carcinogen. The aetiological role of HPV infection in the development of preinvasive and invasive lesions of the cervix, vagina and the anogenital region has been conclusively established. Vaccination against infection with specific high-risk HPV is commercially available, and is likely to change the future of the disease.
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    A review of the incidence and survival of childhood and adolescent cancer and the effects of treatment on future fertility and endocrine development
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2012-03-29) Botha, M. H.; Kruger, T. F.
    Cancer is not uncommon in children. The reproductive system is an important site for late effects of cancer treatment, and normal pubertal development depends on an undamaged hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Fertility compromise can occur due to chemotherapy, radiotherapy to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, or surgery. Cryopreservation techniques of germ cells are improving and may offer hope for fertility preservation.
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    Vulvar cancer is not a disease of the elderly : treatment and outcome at a tertiary referral centre in South Africa
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2017) Butt, J. L.; Botha, M. H.
    Background. An increase in vulvar cancer in young women is attributed to infection with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV). South Africa (SA) has a high prevalence of HPV, and it was therefore hypothesised that women with vulvar cancer here would be younger than in high-income countries (HICs). Objective. To describe age, cancer stage, treatment and outcome of patients with vulvar cancer at a tertiary referral centre in SA. Methods. In a retrospective observational study, patient records of women diagnosed with vulvar cancer between 2001 and 2014 were reviewed and demographic and surgical details captured. Histology results of vulvar biopsies and resected specimens were checked for HPV changes, koilocytes and usual-type vulval intraepithelial neoplasia. Patients were restaged using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 staging system to allow for comparison of outcomes. Five-year disease-specific survival probability curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results. The mean age of the 180 patients in the study was 52.5 years. Those who had documented HPV changes on histological specimens had a mean age of 50.4 years. More than 50% of the patients had advanced-stage disease, and 62.7% were treated with primary surgery. Five-year disease-specific survival probabilities were similar to those reported in the literature. Conclusions. Vulvar cancer should not be regarded as a disease of the elderly in SA, as women with vulvar cancer are 10 - 15 years younger than in HICs. A large proportion of patients present with advanced-stage disease. Health professionals should be alert to vulvar lesions, especially in women with abnormal Pap smears, to reduce the morbidity and mortality of this disease.