Browsing by Author "Uys, Ronelle"

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    Communication in the diagnosis of childhood cancer
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG), 2010-07) Uys, Ronelle
    Delivering bad news is a continuous challenge for medical staff working in paediatric oncology and haematology units and in other areas, such as ICUs. Conveying the news in a thoughtful, caring and hopeful way shows respect and empathy for the family. Effective, compassionate and open communication has a positive impact on the way in which the family copes. It also helps to establish a relationship of long-term trust. Communicating the diagnosis should be the first building block in an ongoing communicative process. An honest and a humane approach that conveys some hope is advocated.
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    Nephroblastoma - a 25 year review of a South African unit
    (PubMed Central, 2014-09-15) Visser, Yolandi Thelma; Uys, Ronelle; Van Zyl, Anel; Stefan, Daniela Cristina
    Rationale: To determine the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma in a South African hospital. Objective: To determine if there is a difference in the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma comparing two treatment protocols SIOP (Société International D’Oncologie Pédiatrique Protocol) versus NWTS (National Wilms’ Tumour Study Protocol). Methods and results: A retrospective audit of 25 years (1983-2007), of children diagnosed with nephroblastoma in Tygerberg Hospital. One hundred and seven patients were included in the study and 98 were analyzed. The average age at diagnosis was 3.8 years. Most patients (37%) presented with stage 1 of the disease, followed by patients with stage 3 (27%). Most patients were treated according to the SIOP protocol (61%). Gender and race did not influence the outcome. Patients with stage 1 and 2 of the disease had the best outcome (76% versus 43% for stages 3 and 4). The SIOP group had a better outcome than the NWTS group (p value 0.001). The two groups had an equal distribution of the stage of presentation. The tumor volumes were bigger in the NWTS group (1004cm3 compared to 613cm3). Nutritional status did not influence the outcome although more patients were underweight for age in the SIOP group. The statistical methods used were: Kaplan Meier, Gehan’s Wilcoxon Test, Chi –square test and the Fisher exact test.