September 29 to October 5 is FWHPWI’s

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week

FWHPWI

September, 2021 Foundation for Women’s Health Promotion and Welfare Initiatives

IN THIS ISSUE

Director’s Message:

Director’s message

September 29 to October 5 is

FWHPWI’s Hereditary Breast

and Ovarian Cancer Week

FWHPWI’s Events

FWHPWI July Meeting/ August

fundraising exercises

Research News

Research for Milk thistle for

breast cancer treatment is

promisin

Ovarian tumor microenviron-

ment-chip to test novel ways to

treat the disease

Blood test reveals when benign

tumors turn cancerous

Trial shows benefits of targeted

drug against early-stage breast

cancer with inherited BRCA

mutation

Odor-based test could serve as a

non-invasive approach to screen

for harder-to-detect cancers

Medicinal plant stops the

growth of breast cancer cells,

shows research

Bitter Melon: A Multifunctional

Medicinal Plant with Powerful

Bioactive Compounds

Cancer News: Africa

Genomics could shape cancer

research and clinical care in SSA

Breast cancer in sub-Saharan

Africa could relate to breast

cancer in African-American

women

A research in South Africa seeks

to understand possible solutions

to promote adherence to medi-

cation and follow-up, needed for

breast cancer

Studies show several conditions

(among which certain cultural

beliefs and breast cancer treat-

ment-related stigma) hinder

health-seeking and early

diagnosis in sub-Sahara Africa

(SSA)

Potential Treatment of Breast

and Lung Cancer Using Dicoma

anomala, an African Medicinal

Plant

Health and lifestyle

Hobbies While Battling Cancer

Can Boost Mindfulness

Diet and lifestyle can affect the

risk of breast cancer recurrence

Regularly enjoying berries may

help lower your risk of certain

cancers, including breast cancer

varian cancer is the second most common

gynaecological cancer in sub-Sahara Africa

(SSA).

The disease is associated with late

presentation as there are no specific early

symptoms to warn the patients and

caregivers, there are no significant

screening tests to predict patients who might

develop the cancer and no matter how good

the immediate outcomes following the

current standard modalities of treatment,

recurrence is the rule rather than the

exception in most cases. It is the most

common cause of death due to a

gynaecological malignancy with a 5 year-

survival rate of 45%.

It is predicted that by

the year 2040, ovarian cancer incidence will

rise by 47%, with an even larger increase in

the number of deaths each year (up nearly

59% mortality rate).

Likewise, by 2050, the prevalence of breast

cancer is projected to double throughout

Africa. Available data on the disease in SSA

is scant and, where available, are mostly of

epidemiological or clinical nature. Its 5

year-survival rate is less than 40% in SSA,

compared to 86% in the United States

with SSA reporting majority of the global

growth of breast cancer burden.

Seen the alarming result of research and

predictions about these diseases, FWHPWI

will observe a week of Hereditary Breast

and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) awareness

from 29 September to 05 October.

HBOC is associated with a genetic

condition of higher risk of breast cancer,

ovarian cancer, and a host of other cancers.

HBOC is common in families who have

had multiple cases of breast cancer and/or

ovarian cancer on the same side of the

family. In families with 4 or more cases of

breast cancer diagnosed before age 60, the

chance of HBOC is about 80%.

2 primary genes linked with most families

who have HBOC are: B RCA1 and BRCA2.

BRCA stands for BReast CAncer. A

“mutation,” or harmful genetic change, in

either BRCA1 or BRCA2 gives a woman an

increased lifetime risk of developing breast

and ovarian cancers. Men with thes e gene

mutations also have an increased risk of

breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes

can be identified through a blood or saliva

test. The usual method of testing, called

standard gene sequencing, can find most

BRCA mutations. There are other types of

mutations called rearrangements, which

include deletions or duplications in BRCA1

and BRCA2 that also may cause an

increased risk for these cancers. Testing is

also available for large rearrangements in

BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Although HBOC is rare, there’s value in

BRCA genetic testing if you are a healthy

person with a strong family hist ory of

BRCA-related cancers, or if you ha ve been

diagnosed with a cancer associated with

BRCA; for the healthy patient with a

positive genetic result, there’s a lot that can

be done with screening and prevention,

starting as young as 25 years old.

Join us in sharing cancer information.

Dr. FN. Alaribe Nnadozie

FWHPWI Director

1. Akinfolarin AC. Tropical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2020.

2. Ragupathy K., Lekoudis E., Emovon E., Springer, 2017.

3. WORLD OVARIAN CANCER COALITION ATLAS 2020. 4. Claudia A Anyigba,

et.al., Experimental Biology and Medicine 2021.

5. Abeer A. Bahnassy, et.al, Frontiers in Oncology, 2020.

6. American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), cancer.net (Retrieved, 28-09-2021).

7. Yale Medicine, yalemedicine.org/ (Retrieved 28-09-21)

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FWHPWI’S EVENTS

Our July activities witnessed the usual

outreach/meeting. We discussed back pain

common among women. We tried to look

into the risk factors, and ways one can

minimize or reduce back pain. FWHPWI

participants shared several personal

experiences with a take home that back pain

does not designate a particular diseases, but

a set of symptoms that can have multiple

causes, serious or not, acute or chronic,

inflammatory or mechanical – but prevent-

ion is better than cure.

In the month of July and August, FWHPWI

made fundraising exercises to acquire early

detection tools for women cancers. This

event was carried out by project group

members of Education, Health and wellness.

Left/up, photo s of project representatives displaying

our Collection Boxes in some of our fundraising

venues in Pretoria.

Research News

Research for Milk thistle and

extracts of milk thistle for breast

cancer treatment is promising

This beautiful flowering may have some

health benefits, mainly thanks to the extract

silymarin and its active compound silybin,

or silibinin. The plant’s extracts such as

silymarin, are rich in antioxidants and may

have some medical uses. Research is

exploring silymarin, the milk thistle plant

and their potential use as a breast cancer

treatment alongside traditional therapies to

either protect cells or reduce potential side

effects.

Researchers develop ovarian

tumor microenvironment-chip to

test novel ways to treat the disease

Ovarian cancer is a particularly challenging

one to monitor. Tumors generally form

deep inside a patient's tissue, and it can be

difficult to obtain real-time information of

the tumor's properties and how it is

interacting with blood cells. Also, ovarian

tumors can quickly spread inside the body,

making time another vital factor in

mapping the disease's progression.

Researchers are creating a platform

technology using the organ-on-a-chip

approach where tumor biology can be

advanced, and new drugs can be identified

by recreating the platelet-tumor and

platelet-tumor-drug interactions under the

influence of flow, supporting blood vessels

and the extracellular matrix.

Click to join us

share information about the cancers

Cancer is a leading

cause of premature

death in every

country in the world

But many of these

deaths can be

prevented

Genetic testing for HBOC

may be appropriate for

people who have a personal

or family history (in a 1

-, 2

or 3

-degree relative) of

certain types of cancer.

Because HBOC is an

inherited syndrome, family

history of breast, ovarian, and

certain other cancers is an

important risk factor.

If one parent has a BRCA1 or

BRCA2 mutation, each of

their children will have a 50%

chance of inheriting the

mutation.

Milk thistle Plant,

Image credit: integrativeasheville.org/

Page

Just a few ways to reduce your

risk of gynaecological cancers

advised by

National Foundation

for Cancer Research

Have your Pap test by age 21

The Pap test looks for abnormal

cell changes in the cervix to

detect cervical cancer in its early

stages.

Protect yourself from Human

papilloma virus (HPV)

Talk to your doctor about getting

the HPV test and HPV vaccine.

Also, limit your sexual partners

and, when you do have sex, use a

condom.

Don’t smoke.

Smoking increases the risk of

different cancers including

cervical, ovarian, vaginal and

vulvar cancers.

Make healthy choices.

It’s important to maintain a

healthy weight, be active and eat

a healthy diet consisting of fruit,

vegetables, lean proteins and

whole grains.

Share your family history with

your doctor.

Genetic testing is now available

to see if you carry a BRCA1 or

BRCA2 mutation, which could

put you in a high-risk category

for ovarian and breast cancer. If

you carry a genetic mutation

associated to Lynch Syndrome, a

heredity condition that increases

your risk of colon cancer, ovarian

cancer, uterine cancer, etc.

Contact your doctor if you

notice any of these symptoms.

Abnormal vaginal bleeding

or discharge

Pelvic pain or pressure

Abdominal or back pain

Bloating

Changes in bathroom habits

(increased urination,

constipation, diarrhea)

Itching or burning of the

vulva

Changes in vulva color or

skin (rash, sores, warts, ulcers).

nfcr.org/

In a common genetic disorder,

blood test reveals when benign

tumors turn cancerous

People with an inherited condition known

as neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, often

develop non-cancerous, or benign, tumors

that grow along nerves. These tumors can

sometimes turn into aggressive cancers, but

there hasn’t been a good way to determine

whether this transformation to cancer has

happened. Researchers have developed a

blood test that, they believe, could one day

offer a highly sensitive and inexpensive

approach to detect cancer early in people

with NF1. The blood test could also help

doctors monitor how well patients are

responding to treatment for their cancer.

Trial shows benefits of targeted

drug against early-stage breast

cancer with inherited BRCA

mutation

Women with high-risk, early-stage breast

cancer who also have inherited faults in

their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have shown a

remarkable response to the targeted drug

olaparib in a major clinical trial. OlympiA

trial showed that adding olaparib for one

year following standard treatment for

patients who had an inherited BRCA

mutation and early-stage, HER-2 negative

breast cancer, cut the risk of their breast

cancer returning by 42 per cent at a median

2.5-year follow-up.

Odor-based test could serve as a

non-invasive approach to screen

for harder-to-detect cancers

An odor-based test that sniffs out vapors

emanating from blood samples was able to

distinguish between benign and pancreatic

and ovarian cancer cells with up to 95

percent accuracy, according to a new study

from researchers at the University of

Pennsylvania and Penn's Perelman School

of Medicine.

Medicinal plant stops the growth of

breast cancer cells, shows

research

The ground breaking research by the team

of Professor Alessandra Devoto at Royal

Holloway, University of London, in

collaboration with Dr Amanda Harvey at

Brunel University London, and Professor

Nicholas Smirnoff at University of Exeter,

incubated Arabidops is thaliana leaves,

treated with the plant hormone Jasmonate

(a substance discovered in jasmine that

boosts plant responses to stress), with

breast cancer cells. They found that

although the cancer cells stopped growing,

the normal cells remained unaffected.

Bitter Melon: A Multifunctional

Medicinal Plant with Powerful

Bioactive Compounds

Bitter melon has been associated with anti-

cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory

and anti-diabetic properties. The medicinal

values of the bitter gourd fruit are linked to

its high content of phenolics, which act as

anti-oxidants. Phenolic compounds contain-

ing phenolic acids, coumarins, lignins,

tannins, lignanes and flavonoids are among

the secondary metabolites that are abundant

in the plant.

Arabiopsis thaliana

Image credit: indiamart.com

Bitter Melon

Image credit: medicalnewsdoday.com

Page

The COVID-19 pandemic

is not over.

Never

forget this practice!

It is necessary

for your health

now and always.

Do it often.

The best for you is to

keep safe for yourself

and for us all.

A scientist

Jackson State University,

Mississippi

obtained a US patent

(6,849,604, issued 1/2/2005)

on extracts of

Vernonia am ygdalina,

an African medicinal plant

sometimes called Bitterleaf

(or Bitter Leaf).

According to the patent,

the extracts are effective

against cancer. The inventor

obtained samples in Benin

City, Nigeria.

CancerNews: Africa

Genomics could shape cancer

research and clinical care in SSA

Developments in genomics in the last

decade has improved our understanding of

the role of genetics in health and disease.

One area where the impact of genomics is

very noticeable is in oncology, specifically

in terms of diagnosis and elucidating

genetic predisposition to rare and common

cancers. Researchers sustain that sub-

Saharan Africa (SSA) stands to benefit

from cancer genomics, given recent spikes

in the incidence of various types of cancers

in the region.

Breast cancer in sub-Saharan

Africa could relate to breast cancer

in African-American women

African-American women have had a lower

incidence, yet higher mortality rate from

breast cancer compared with White-

American women. African-American

women also have had a higher risk for

early-onset, high-grade, node-positive, and

hormone receptor-negative disease. Similar

features have characterized hereditary

breast cancer, prompting speculation that

risk factors could be genetically

transmitted. Further evaluation of this

theory required the study of breast cancer

among women from sub-Saharan Africa

because of their shared ancestry with

African-American women.

Studies show several conditions

(among which certain cultural

beliefs and breast cancer treatment

related stigma) hinder health-

seeking and early diagnosis in sub-

Sahara Africa (SSA)

In some regions, the disease has been

ascribed to supernatural forces, thereby

diminishing a sense of personal control

over the outcomes. The idea of “beauty” in

some cultures involves a “whole” woman;

hence, needing a mastectomy may evoke a

sense of worthlessness, which impedes

early health-seeking. Ignorance of the

disease, unavailability of tests, and inacce-

ssibility of treatment and detection facilities

bedevil screening and early detection in

SSA.

Potential Treatment of Breast and

Lung Cancer Using Dicoma

anomala, an African Medicinal

Plant

Plant-derived anticancer compounds are

known to be less toxic to the normal cells

and are classified into acetylenic

compounds, phenolics, terpenes, and

phytosterols. Dicoma anomala is a

perennial herb belonging to the family

Asteraceae and is widely distributed in

Sub-Saharan Africa and used in the

treatment of cancer, malaria, fever,

diabetes, ulcers, cold, and cough. Studies

highlight the benefits of D. anomala in

various therapeutic applications with

special reference to the treatment of cancers

and the mechanisms through which the

plant-derived agents induce cell death.

Dicoma anomala

Image credit: waterberg –bioquest.co.za

You are invited to our

forthcoming meetings and

regular outreach programs.

Attendance is completely

free. You can partake in the

discussions, and you can

surely come to grab

something new

for a healthy lifestyle.

Page

Please do visit our

Fundraising

Campaign Webpage

For our Women

Cancer Survivors

Your generosity is

highly appreciated

Click Here

Health and Lifestyle

Hobbies While Battling Cancer

Can Boost Mindfulness

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be

chaotic; it has a huge impact on patients,

families, and caregivers, and can be

followed by feelings of depression, anxiety,

and fear. Research has shown that there are

effective methods to quell these emotions,

including receiving social support, sharing

your feelings with others, and of course,

obtaining professional help if you have the

symptoms of clinical anxiety or depression.

Hobbies, or doing something you instincti-

vely love can also lessen the burden, and

the good news is that anything and

everything that sets your heart on fire will

do – including nature experiences, yoga,

art, or even sewing.

Diet and lifestyle can affect the risk

of breast cancer recurrence

World Cancer Research Fund recommends

that women who have had breast cancer

follow advice to reduce their risk of cancer

coming back. This includes eating a healthy

diet that is high in fibre and low in

saturated f ats, being physically active,

maintaining a healthy weight and

limiting alcohol (if consumed at all).

Regularly enjoying berries may

help lower your risk of certain

cancers,includingbreastcancer

Berries’ antioxidants, including flavonoids

and anthocyanins, have been shown to

protect against cellular damage, as well as

the development and spread of cancer cells.

Notably, a study in 75,929 women linked

higher berry intake – and blueberries in

particular – to a lower risk of estrogen

receptor negative (ER−) breast cancer.

Blueberries

Image credit: tasteofhome.com

This Mixed Berry Fruit Salad is a delightful accompaniment to

any meal, no matter what it is, or no matter the time of day. Your

friends and family will be raving over the sweet mixture of fresh

blueberries, plump juicy strawberries, and the sweet black and red

raspberries. You will find that it is incredibly easy to prep all of

the fresh berries and toss them into a bowl.

Source: healthyfitnessmeals.com

FWHPWI

You can also deposit your donation

directly into our bank account below.

Account Name

Foundation for Women’s

Health Promotion and

Welfare Initiatives

Bank Name

Standard Bank

Account Number

10122435964

Branch Code

011545

Swift address

SBZAZAJJ

General enquiry

+27 604301958; +27 715512248

WhatsApp+27 610054712

http://foundationforwomenshealth.com

Postal Address/Office

1101 Zethuishof, 620 Park Street, Arcadia

Pretoria, South Africa

Email:

info@foundationforwomenshealth.com

foundationforwomenshealth@gmail.com

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FWHPWI

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Wellness group

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“Individually, we are one drop,

Together, we are an ocean”