A Radiation Oncologist, Professor Ifeoma Okoye, has warned that late presentation and death from cancer cases will continue to rise unless proactive measures are taken to break the pervading cycle of ignorance.
The Professor of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, gave the warning.
According to her, 10 Nigerians die every hour from cancer and 80,000 cancer deaths occur in the country per year.
“While the prognosis (outcome) for several forms of cancer has improved over the last decade in developed countries, mostly due to vast technological and scientific advancements, the outlook remains grim in Nigeria.
“The available statistics bear this out, showing that 70 percent of cancer deaths occur in developing nations like Nigeria, due to lack of access to optimal care,” she said
According to Prof. Okoye, data from the World Health Organisation showed that Nigeria has 233,911 cancer cases, with 124,815 new cases and 78,899 cancer deaths recorded yearly.
The founder of Breast Without Spot, a Non-Governmental Organisation, said the actual figures were probably much higher due to extremely limited documentation of cancer cases in the country.
She explained that in Africa, five percent of childhood cancers were cured, compared to a cure rate of 80 percent in the developed world.
The professor said this had resulted in an estimated 100,000 children dying from cancer in developing countries.
“The awareness level of Nigerian women to breast or cervical cancer best practices and Nigerian men to the prostate or colorectal cancers is very low.
“Even this is dogged by procrastination, fear, denial – It is not my portion syndrome, socio-economic, superstitious or cultural restraints. This has given rise to the ‘crisis of the cancer scourge in our environment.
“For example, more than 83 to 87 percent of affected women, present late, incurring unaffordable bills of N150,000 to 350,000 every three weeks on drug treatment, followed closely by rapid deterioration and death.
“The resultant high morbidity and mortality in young and middle age groups occur when they are most productive in contributing to the socio-economic development of our nation,” she said.
Prof. Okoye said that the statistics are distressing, given that over one-third of cancer deaths resulted from potentially preventable causes.
She noted that much of the suffering and death from cancer could be prevented by more systematic efforts of expanding awareness and the use of established vaccinations and screening tests.
The professor said efforts should be made to reduce viral infections, wrong nutrition choices, physical inactivity, obesity, widespread tobacco use and alcohol abuse.
She said her organisation, BWS, was established to provide these systematic efforts that would assist to reduce the distressing statistics of cancer.
Prof. Okoye said that BWS raises awareness at the grassroots or urban level and among the youth.
This, she said, was through encouraging them to adopt healthy lifestyles and habits that prevented and reduced exposure to risk factors of non-communicable diseases.
“BWS builds on this concerted advocacy by organising mass screening programmes for breast cancer early detection using clinical breast examination and ultrasound; screening for cervical cancer by PAP smear, Liquid Cytology and visual inspection methods.
“Screening for prostate cancer in men, doing blood pressure and blood sugar measurements, sourcing support to offer free and at source vaccinations against cancers.
“Providing a patient navigation system to enable follow up of screen-positive patients through diagnosis, treatment and support care,” she said.
Prof. Okoye said that BWS had impacted on the lives of over 500,000 women, men and youths across Nigeria, through its various programmes.
NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi
