The Sandton Oncology Centre is your one-stop centre for comprehensive and holistic cancer care in a pleasant tranquil environment. through an array of skilled medical professionals with extensive experience in cancer and its management, we offer the following services:

• Confirmation of a diagnosis
  
•   Advice on available treatment options
  
• Referral to a radiation oncologist on site should you require radiation treatment
  
• A referral to a wide range of surgeons and other specialists for a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment
  
•   Chemotherapy, Hormonal and Targeted therapies (oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular and intravenous)
  
•   Supportive care in between your treatments and upon completion
• Counselling for you and your family:
  We have a resident psychologist, who will help you and your family to cope with the new diagnosis, its treatment and the journey ahead.

• Pain management and palliative-symptomatic care - resident Palliative care specialist on site.
•  Clinical research with new drugs and approaches putting you at the forefront of global medical research and treatments.

Treatment
Methods of treatment vary according to the type of cancer, stage and general physical condition of the patient. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or combinations thereof may be used to treat the disease. Our treatment is underpinned by a holistic approach to our patients and their condition and, our ability to treat and care for them under one roof.

Chemotherapy Treatment
Chemotherapy is treatment of cancer using drugs that kill cancer cells by interfering with their multiplication.It is available mostly as an intravenous formulation( a drip) .Some drugs also have oral pre[arations which are equally effective and convenient.

The side effects of chemotherapy stem from the understanding that chemotherapy kills actively multipying cells,like cancer cells.However other rapidly multiplying cells like the cells of the hair and gut,can get affected as "bystanders".These however recover once the treatment is completed.

The common side effects of chemotherapy are therefore hair loss,nausea and vomiting,constipation,fatigue,and mouth ulcers.It is important to note that none of these side effects are universal,and your oncologist will discuss side effects specific to your chemotherapy regimen.

Other treatment modalities in the fight against cancer are hormonal manipulation,where the hormonal mileau is manipulated to treat some cancers or decrease the risk of recurrence after surgery and/or chemotherapy.

In recent years new drugs termed "monoclonal antibodies" have also emerged as an important treatment tool.These drugs are not chemotherapy,but interfere with cellular communication,thereby slowing down the growth of the tumour.

Radiation therapy is often used to treat patients with cancer. In contrast to chemotherapy it is a local treatment only and is used to treat disease that is localised to a specific area. Radiation therapy is delivered using photons which are ‘packet of energy’. This energy is deposited in cells and causes the cells to die. Radiation kills both normal and cancer cells but normal cells are better able to recover than cancer cells and therefore there is a therapeutic advantage.  Radiation therapy is normally delivered over a protracted period of time to allow the normal cells to recover. Treatment is usually given Monday to Friday and often takes 6 or more weeks to deliver. Delivering the dose in small doses or fractions allows us to give a higher dose without causing severe side effects or long term damage.  This higher dose is often effective in eliminating all the cancer cells leading to remission or cure.

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is often used to treat patients with cancer. In contrast to chemotherapy it is a local treatment only and is used to treat disease that is localised to a specific area. Radiation therapy is delivered using photons which are ‘packet of energy’. This energy is deposited in cells and causes the cells to die. Radiation kills both normal and cancer cells but normal cells are better able to recover than cancer cells and therefore there is a therapeutic advantage.  Radiation therapy is normally delivered over a protracted period of time to allow the normal cells to recover. Treatment is usually given Monday to Friday and often takes 6 or more weeks to deliver. Delivering the dose in small doses or fractions allows us to give a higher dose without causing severe side effects or long term damage.  This higher dose is often effective in eliminating all the cancer cells leading to remission or cure.