"Much Respect": Mzansi Doctors Perform SA's Second Cryoablation for Thyroid Cancer at UCT Hospital

• Dr Gercois Human and the Cape Town Interventional Radiology team completed the procedure at UCT Private Academic Hospital
• The team first pioneered cryoablation for recurrent papillary thyroid cancer in South Africa in March 2026
• South Africans praised the doctors online for expanding access to cutting-edge cancer treatment in the country

A Cape Town medical team has performed South Africa's second cryoablation procedure for recurrent papillary thyroid cancer, building on a historic milestone they achieved just months earlier. Mzansi exclaimed their pride over the moment.

On 7 July 2026, Dr Gercois Human, Dr Jateel Kassim and Dr Gary Peiser from Cape Town Interventional Radiology carried out the procedure at UCT Private Academic Hospital. The patient had experienced a return of papillary thyroid carcinoma, with new cancerous lesions appearing after the original thyroid had been surgically removed.

The team's first such procedure took place in March 2026, making South Africa the first country on the continent to offer cryoablation as a treatment option for this specific cancer recurrence. That landmark case involved a patient whose traditional treatment options had already been exhausted.

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What cryoablation involves

Cryoablation is a minimally invasive procedure guided by advanced imaging technology. Doctors use extremely low temperatures to freeze and destroy cancerous cells with precision, aiming to eliminate tumours while protecting as much surrounding healthy tissue as possible. It offers patients an alternative to more invasive surgical options.

According to Juta Medical Brief, UCT Private Academic Hospital, where both procedures were performed, is a 112-bed facility built through a collaboration between Netcare, the University of Cape Town Medical School and Groote Schuur Hospital.

View the Facebook post below:

Mzansi celebrates the medical team

Pride and praise were the order of the day in the comments section as many South Africans took to the Cape Town Interventional Radiology Facebook page to congratulate the doctors on the procedure:

Parvatie Bhoola said:

"Congratulations to the doctors and team. Well done 🙏🎊"

Alida Cairns Swanepoel wrote:

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"Congratulations to this wonderful team of doctors. 🙏❤"

Mara Elizabeth Fourie added:

"Brilliant. Congratulations to you all."

Faizel Ras commented:

"Well done. Congratulations to everyone involved."

Merle Mobey said:

"Congratulations for pioneering this treatment in South Africa. So proud."

Elize Opperman shared:

"What a blessing!!! May many patients benefit from this treatment and procedures. Doctors, may you be blessed going strength to strength 🙌🙌🙏🏻🙏🏻✝️"

And Charlotte Sandra Collison Moolman wrote:

"So much respect for what you and your team do."

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Source: Briefly News