When a cancer patient rings the bell to mark the end of their chemotherapy, it is celebrated as the ultimate victory. But ahead of National Cancer Survivors Day on June 7, medical experts are warning that for many South Africans (SA), the true challenge begins when the active treatment stops.
For years, clinical benchmarks have pointed to a standard statistic; a 30% risk of recurrence for breast cancer survivors within the first two to five years. But in SA, public health realities suggest this widely cited number tells an incomplete story. Because of deep structural gaps, the reality on the ground for ordinary women is often much more complicated.
In the public health sector, a significant number of patients lose contact with urban tertiary hospitals the moment their primary treatment concludes. Facing steep travel costs from rural communities or changing their contact details, many drop out of the medical tracking pipeline entirely.
When patients fade from hospital registries, their long-term health journeys go unrecorded. Rather than living in secure remission, many are navigating the terrifying possibility of a return of the disease entirely on their own, far from the specialist care they need.
This hidden reality changes how we look at life after a diagnosis. Modern medicine has made incredible strides in treating cancer as a manageable, long-term condition. But transitioning from an active patient to a long-term survivor requires ongoing support that many local communities simply cannot provide.
Renata Maharaj, Head of Medical Affairs at Novartis SA, points out that the psychological and medical journey is far from over when a patient leaves the oncology ward.
“Patients often believe that once treatment ends, the cancer journey is over, but clinically, that’s not the case,” explains Maharaj. “The risk of recurrence is real, and without regular check-ups, surveillance, and in some cases ongoing therapy, cancer can return undetected until it is more advanced and harder to treat.”
Maharaj describes cancer as a moving target. Standard surgeries and therapies can miss microscopic cells that mutate over time, continuing to grow completely unnoticed unless a patient undergoes regular, rigorous follow-up monitoring.
For the everyday survivor, maintaining that visibility is an uphill battle. Local primary healthcare clinics are heavily equipped to handle high-volume conditions like HIV, TB, or diabetes, but they rarely possess the specialised resources, localized scanning equipment, or targeted therapies needed to safely guide a cancer survivor through a ten-year horizon.
This leaves patients caught in a stressful administrative and financial balancing act just to stay well. Sanjay Govender, Interim Head of Value and Access at Novartis SA, highlights that consistent, uninterrupted care is the most vital component of long-term survival.
“Access to care is one of the most significant determinants of cancer outcomes,” says Govender. “When patients can access the right treatment at the right time and continue that care without interruption, their chances of survival improve dramatically. Addressing barriers to access is not just a healthcare issue, it’s a matter of equity.”
In SA, securing the advanced continuous therapies that keep cancer from returning often requires navigating complex regulatory channels, such as Section 21 access applications. While private sector patients frequently have medical aid benefits and administrative support to handle these hurdles, public sector patients routinely face lengthy bureaucratic delays that disrupt their treatment timelines.
As South Africans prepare to honor the resilience of those touched by the disease this Sunday, health advocates are calling for a deeper look at what survivorship actually means. True equity in healthcare means ensuring that the celebration of beating cancer isn’t cut short by the silent challenges of life after the clinic.
Maharaj notes that improving these long-term outcomes will ultimately require a more integrated approach, one that “prioritises early detection, strengthens healthcare systems, and ensures equitable access to care across the entire patient journey.”
–ChannelAfrica–
