Dr Kobie Pio

After many years of experience as a general practitioner, Dr Pio developed a particular interest in the field of oncology. Inspired by the desire to be able to assist her patients past the stage of diagnosis, with their journey through their disease, Dr Pio decided to study further and specialise in radiation oncology, the branch of medicine in which cancers are treated with radiation therapy.

Dr Pio graduated with her Bachelor of Medicine (MBChB) from the University of Pretoria in 1985, after which she began to practice as a general practitioner. In 2000 she obtained her Master of Medicine in Therapeutic Radiology (MMedRadT). She joined De Mûelenaere Oncology (DMO) in 2003 after practicing at Pretoria Academic Hospital and spending six months with the breast cancer unit at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff.

Her special interests include breast cancer, head and neck cancer, and paediatric radiation oncology. Through her specialisation in radiation oncology, Dr Pio uses modern radiation techniques that are designed to spare normal tissue wherever possible, while delivering a high dose of radiation to the area in which the tumour is located.

She also practices stereotactic radiotherapy, a treatment that involves sophisticated technology that delivers an extremely high dose to a small area with a minimal dose being delivered to surrounding normal tissues. Treatment can often be delivered in a single session - in contrast to external beam radiation. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a type of non-surgical radiation treatment, and is commonly used for the treatment of brain tumours. During the treatment, your head will be placed in a special frame designed to keep it still. With the use of brain scans, Dr Pio will be able to identify the area in which the radiation is required. The radiation can then be delivered very accurately to the area of the tumour, damaging as little surrounding healthy tissue as possible.

Dr Pio currently practises at Groenkloof Radiation Oncology and Mûelmed Radiation Oncology.