After almost a year of unexplained pain and muscle ache on his upper back and shoulder, Aydin Bishop, an avid surfer and fitness enthusiast, was convinced he had a sports injury.
Multiple sessions of physiotherapy wouldn’t help this 30-year-old yacht engineer from Cape Town. Multiple medical tests, including an MRI scan, would later reveal that the excruciating pain behind his shoulder had nothing to do with his active lifestyle, but was a tumour, a rare soft tissue sarcoma, known as sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma.
Due to its proximity to the spine, which made it difficult-to-treat, surgery and conventional radiation were not options due to the risk of complications.
This month, Bishop became the first South African to have specialised radiation using proton beam therapy which, according to clinicians, is a “game changer” in cancer treatment due to its precision and effectiveness against difficult-to-treat tumours.
Unlike traditional radiation, which uses X-rays or gamma rays, the sophisticated beam therapy uses protons,positively charged particles that deliver a precise dose of radiation directly to the tumour while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. It is effective for treating tumours near vital organs, such as the brain, spine and prostate, where minimising radiation exposure to healthy tissue is critical.
Speaking from India, where he is receiving treatment, Bishop said after finding out about the risks of surgery, he decided to try the new method.
“I was planning to have my surgery in Dubai, with a good spinal surgeon, but it would have cost my life in the end.”
Having surgery would not only result in Bishop getting spinal fusion, another intricate procedure, but there was a risk that the tumour could break open and the cancer later spread to other parts of his body.
“The surgeons told me that in my case surgery wouldn’t work because they couldn’t remove the tumour without haemorrhaging it. Probably, later, I would have died from complications, such as the cancer spreading,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this kind of tumour doesn't respond to chemotherapy, so radiation is my best bet. I'm also exploring alternative medicine and dietary options that won't feed this type of tumour.”
While the beam therapy is offered in a few countries, including the US, UK and India, where Bishop is being treated at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), South Africa could soon offer this high-end treatment, which costs between $15,000 and $65,000 (about R280,000-R1.2m).
This month a delegation from the centre, led by renowned radiation oncologist Srinivas Chilukuri, visited Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. The visit was part of APCC’s collaboration with the South African Medical Association (Sama) to discuss, among other things, access to this therapy in Africa.
Sama vice-chair Rhulani Ngwenya said its partnership with APCC is “a step it the right direction and showcases the breakthrough proton therapy can bring to cancer patients in SA”.
“This is a long journey that will hopefully see this treatment being available in this country.”
This is a long journey that will hopefully see this treatment being available in this country.
— Rhulani Ngwenya, vice-chair, South African Medical Association
Ngwenya said early detection and treatment are crucial for improving outcomes in South Africa, where about 60,000 people die each year due to cancer. Research suggests that in 2020 about 110,000 news cases were diagnosed in the country.
Veteran radio and TV personality Mark Pilgrim, who inspired many in his battle with the disease, has become one of the latest South Africans to succumb to cancer. He died on Sunday, March 5, at the age of 53. The HOT 102.7FM radio DJ was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, which he later revealed had spread to his femur, the base of his spine and lymph nodes
According to the 2021 Cancer Association of South Africa report, breast, cervical, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer are the most common in South Africa.
Dr Duvern Ramiah, head of the department at Wits University’s division of radiation oncology and at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, said more access to the new therapy would give oncologists a “ valuable tool in the treatment artillery for cancer”.
During his recent visit to South Africa, Chilukuri said the cutting-edge therapy “is offering a level of precision and effectiveness that was once thought impossible”.
“We believe that proton therapy has been a game changer for deserving patients and we are at the forefront of revolutionising cancer care.”
Anjana Parikh, spokesperson for APCC, said while a few decades ago South Africa had an older version of proton therapy, the latest technology — the pencil beam — is the most advanced to date.
She said some healthcare centres in South Africa have shown interest in the technology.
After two weeks of treatment, Bishop said, “so far, so good”. “I’ve had five sessions and I haven’t experienced any side-effects, even though doctors warned me there might be discomfort as I go along, such as skin rashes. As of now, I'm feeling good. I’m fully mobile and even visited local tourist attractions on my own.”
