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Cancer Screening at CANSA Care Centres and Community Education

If you are experiencing symptoms which concern you, it is vital to have them investigated by a health professional as soon as possible.

CANSA encourages men and women, including cancer Survivors to continue to have regular health check-ups, as well as cancer screening, especially if there is a family history of cancer.

Early detection is key to enabling effective treatment and offers a greater chance of treatment being successful.

We offer the following cancer screening at most of our CANSA Care Centres countrywide.

Costs are kept to a minimum to cover materials necessary to conduct the screening.

Patients with medical aid benefits can claim from their medical aids once they have paid for the screening.

Screening Offered By CANSA

Certain screening equipment, due to expense, is shared and roams between CANSA Care Centres as required.

For this reason, it is important to book an appointment for a screening and to enquire whether a particular Care Centre offers a particular type of screening.

Breast Cancer Screening – Breast Self Examination, Clinical Breast Examination and Breast Light Examination

A monthly Breast Self Examination (BSE) and a yearly Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) is recommended:

  • A Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) is a physical and visual examination of the breast by a trained, professional nurse, to detect abnormalities that may indicate breast cancer. During the examination the client is informed regarding breast cancer, and how to conduct a monthly breast self-examination (BSE).
  • An examination with a Breast Light device may be requested – in this case, a CBE will always be done as well. The Breast Light device is a safe, simple and easy to use handheld device designed to enhance breast awareness for the early detection of breast abnormalities. Breast light uses touch sensor technology to ensure the light is only at full power when the lens is in contact with the skin.
  • CBE and Breast Light examinations do not replace mammograms*.
  • CANSA is not able to do mammograms*.

If you have forgotten the steps of doing a thorough monthly breast self-examination (BSE), view our video: BSE – Step by Step

Note: men may also be diagnosed with breast cancer and should be aware of the signs of breast cancer.

Cervical Cancer Screening – Pap smear

A yearly Pap smear is recommended for women who are sexually active from the age of 18 to 20 years, and onwards:

  • This is a procedure to detect abnormalities in the cells of the surface of the cervix, that may indicate cervical cancer.
  • The cells are collected, and sent to a laboratory where they are viewed under a microscope, after staining, to find out if the cells are abnormal.
  • Abnormalities of the cervix can be detected before this becomes cancerous.
  • CANSA uses liquid-based cytology instead of the regular slide method as this is a far superior method with a higher efficacy rate.
  • The cost of the screening includes the procedure, consumables, courier fees, interpretation of results and feedback to the client.
  • Free counselling will be given if results are abnormal and a referral letter will be given to the client to visit a medical professional.
  • CANSA is not able to do surgery – this needs to be performed by a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

If you are not sure when you should start having Pap smears you can view our infographic: No Fear Pap smear Guide – When and How or if you would like to know how a Pap smear is done view our video: Cervical Cancer Awareness

Colorectal Cancer Screening – Faecal Occult Blood Test

If you are experiencing changes in bowel movements, abdominal discomfort, blood in your stools, or weight loss, it is important to investigate this immediately:

  • CANSA promotes awareness and early detection of colorectal cancer by supplying clients with specimen bottles for the collection of a stool specimen for analysis by a laboratory.
  • Should blood be detected in your stool, CANSA will provide a referral letter to a medical practitioner, for further tests.
  • CANSA is not able to do a colonoscopy** screening test, usually indicated from 50 years – this needs to be performed by a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

If you are not sure if should screen for colorectal cancer, view our video: Colorectal Awareness of Symptoms and Screening (with Medtronic)

Skin Cancer Screening – Clinical Mole Analysis and FotoFinder Mole Analysis

Skin self-examination should take place monthly, and an annual mole and skin analysis is recommended:

  • Skin cancer screening detects abnormalities of the skin, indicating the possibility of melanoma or other types of skin cancer.
  • Clinical Mole Analysis: this is when a trained, professional nurse clinically assesses a mole according to the globally accepted ABCDE screening guide.
  • FotoFinder Mole Analysis: this is an enhanced clinical mole analysis to detect suspicious moles via a FotoFinder (electronic device) that measures the risk profile of the mole. A record of the mole analysis may be kept and future examinations may be compared to previous ones to track the growth of the mole.
  • CANSA is not able to do skin biopsies – a referral letter will be provided to a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

Be aware that skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, view our video: Skin Cancer and Melanoma Can Touch Anyone. If you would like to know which moles to be concerned about, view our video: Are Your Moles in Fashion?

Prostate Cancer Screening – Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Testing

An annual PSA blood test is recommended for men aged 50 years (40 – 45 years for those at high risk)****:

  • The PSA test is a blood test used primarily to screen for prostate cancer.
  • The test measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the blood, as raised levels may indicate prostate inflammation or prostate cancer.
  • PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and non-cancerous tissue in the prostate, a small gland located below the bladder in men.
  • The blood is sent to a laboratory for analysis.
  • CANSA is not able to perform a digital rectal examination*** – a referral letter will be provided to a suitably qualified medical practitioner if necessary.

If you are worried about having a PSA blood test, view our video: No Fear – Keep Your Pants On it’s Only a Blood Test

Blood Pressure Test

  • This test is used to measure the pressure in the arteries. This is also routinely checked when visiting your doctor in order to screen for high blood pressure, and will enable diagnosis of hypertension.

Blood Glucose Test

  • This test measures the amount of glucose in the blood, and will assist in diagnosing Diabetes.

Cost of Screening:

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Make a Booking for Screening

Province | Region Contact Person Email Address
Eastern Cape
East London Dorothy du Plooy dduplooy@cansa.org.za
Gqeberha (PE) Nadine Wagner nwagner@cansa.org.za
Free State
Bloemfontein (services Free State Dorothy du Plooy dduplooy@cansa.org.za
Gauteng
Bedfordview Athena Neate aneate@cansa.org.za
Pretoria Cisca Loggenberg cloggenberg@cansa.org.za
Roodepoort (services Vaal Triangle) Isabel Gomes igomes@cansa.org.za
KZN
Durban (services KZN) Farhara Goolamnabi fgoolamnabi@cansa.org.za
Limpopo
Waterberg Cisca Loggenberg cloggenberg@cansa.org.za
Mpumalanga
Lowveld Olivia Curlewis ocurlewis@cansa.org.za
North West
Rustenburg Cisca Loggenberg cloggenberg@cansa.org.za
Northern Cape
Kimberley Dorothy du Plooy dduplooy@cansa.org.za
Springbok Geraldine Farmer gfarmer@cansa.org.za
Upington Geraldine Farmer gfarmer@cansa.org.za
Southern Cape
George (services Klein Karoo) Sharon Venter sventer@cansa.org.za
Western Cape
Cape Metro Dorothy du Plooy dduplooy@cansa.org.za
Overberg Naomi Philander nphilander@cansa.org.za
Paarl (services Boland) Naomi Philander nphilander@cansa.org.za
West Coast Tanya Johnson tjohnson@cansa.org.za

Cancer Screening by Medical Practitioners

Mammogram

*CANSA does not do mammograms or scans. A mammogram is an X-ray image of your breasts. During a mammogram your breasts are flattened between two firm surfaces to spread out the breast tissue, in order to detect abnormalities. This screening is conducted by a trained mammographer and the results are interpreted by a radiologist and sent to your doctor.

Should a Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) indicate a more thorough examination is necessary by means of a mammogram, CANSA can assist with a referral letter to a public hospital breast clinic or you may contact a radiology practice.

Women from the age of 40 should go for an annual mammogram, for purposes of non-symptomatic breast screening.

Women 55 years and older, should have a mammogram every two years – or if they choose, continue with an annual mammogram.

Women, who have other risk factors such as mutated BRCA1/2 gene, should be referred for an annual mammogram.

Colonoscopy

**CANSA does not perform colonoscopies, and encourages men and women to have a colonoscopy starting at age 50 and repeated every 10 years depending on their risk factors for colorectal cancer.

A colonoscopy may be requested at a younger age if abnormal symptoms are experienced or if there is a family history of colorectal cancer.

Digital Rectal Exam

***A digital rectal examination is recommended for men aged 50 years (40 – 45 years for those at high risk).

****Men with a family history of prostate cancer or a first degree relative who has had breast cancer, have a higher risk of prostate cancer and should be examined annually. Black men are also have a higher risk of prostate cancer.

It is advised to contact your nearest clinic or medical practitioner in order to arrange any cancer screening not provided by CANSA.

Other CANSA Services

Community health talks and exhibitions may be arranged through local CANSA Care Centres.

Mobile Health Clinics (8 in total throughout SA), visit remote, rural areas to conduct screening otherwise not accessible to residents (these screenings are dependent on available funding and donors).

We also offer a free Lifestyle Risk Assessment and counselling to help improve lifestyle and lower cancer risk. The assessment is also available online.

Support Resources for cancer Survivors & Loved Ones

Find additional online resources for cancer Survivors (anyone who has heard the words ‘you have cancer’), caregivers or loved ones, and about coping with cancer.

Disclaimer

CANSA does not provide treatment, and if any abnormalities are detected during screening, then you will be referred to an appropriate specialist or healthcare professional. 

CANSA does not prescribe or provide medication, as it is not authorised to do so.

However, our clincial specialist nurse, Sr Vlooi Venter vventer@cansa.org.za is able to provide free advice with regards to management of side effects of cancer, side effects of cancer treatment and pain.

Do you have a question?
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 072 197 9305 English and Afrikaans (text only)
 071 867 3530 isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana and Sepedi (text only)

 

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