The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cancer

  • These children need N7.5m to battle cancer

    These children need N7.5m to battle cancer

    On their sick beds at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), their prayer is to live. Will Nigerians hearken to the cries of Timothy Olaonipekun (13) and Esther Ekpo (19 months), who are suffering from cancer? WALE ADEPOJU reports.

    THERE they lay on their beds-helpless in the same ward. The two of them have one thing in common: they are suffering from cancer. They require a total of N7.5 million to live in their wards at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). These children are hanging on to life, praying that help would come. Their parents, who have been straining themselves to pay hospital bills, also join their kids in prayers.

    The lives of Timothy Olaonipekun (13) and Esther Ekpo (19 months) depend on the lifeline they can get from kindhearted Nigerians. Olaonipekun needs N2.5 million and Baby Ekpo, N5 million for treatment. They have cancer.

    Olaonipekun, Junior Secondary pupil of Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, Ogun State, is battling with leukaemia – cancer of the blood.

    His father, Mr Muyiwa Olaonipekun, said he has spent over N2 million on his son’s ailment, yet the boy would need more money to live.

    Recounting how his ordeal began, Master Olaonipekun said he had a fever early last July and was admitted in the hospital for some days but was discharged when he got better.

    “The morning after I was discharged I became feverish again and for six days I was admitted again at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    “There, I was asked to do tuberculosis (TB) test which was negative. In the 10th week of treatment, I was re-examined and I had a biopsy at the same hospital in Abeokuta where the doctor attended. He gave me a bombshell. He said I have cancer – lymphoblastic.”

    His father said: “The drugs that he is taking are too strong and they don’t allow him to eat. The histopathology report said he has Axilliary Lymp Mode – High Grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphona. It was after this that he was referred to LUTH where he was admitted on November 14, last year. But when his situation improved he was discharged on February 5, this year after the completion of the second round of chemotherapy. He has since been going for chemotherapy. He has resumed the third chemotherapy. It was at LUTH that the doctor said he had leukemia (lymphona).

    “He had some lumps all over his body before he came down with the disease finally. We have spent 13 weeks at LUTH. Initially, we spent 71 days together during the second phase but since then it has been one crisis or the other.”

    Olaonipekun listed the challenges he had undergone to ensure his child stays alive and gain good health back. “Getting platelets in the hospital is a problem. Also, the machine in the hospital has stopped working. LUTH is the major market for platelet. We buy platelet for N5,000, but elsewhere it is sold for N17,000 per pint. There is a hospital in Ikeja where we usually buy the product for N17,000.”

    Olaonipekun, a widower, who lost his wife on April 14, last year, is appealing to well-meaning individuals, corporate organisations and governments at all levels to come to the aid of his dying son.

    He said the BBHS has been supportive but added that his son would need N2.5 million to complete the fourth therapy session.

    “At the moment, Timothy is on the 13th day of a 56-day third course,” Olaonipekun said.

    Another patient, little Esther Ekpo, 19-month-old, has cancer of the ovary.

    Her mother, Mrs Ann Ekpo, said: “I don’t blame people running away from Nigeria. I’ve friends, who are married to Ghanaians and other nationalities and have gone for good. The government has not done anything to make life meaningful for the people. I discovered that my daughter has ovarian cancer in January. This was after her stomach became swollen. Then, she had a CT Scan, which showed that there was a tumour in her left side.

    “After this shocking discovery, we were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). But because of lack of bed she was again referred to LUTH. She had a biopsy. When they opened her up, they found out that the mass was large. The expert advised she goes on chemotherapy. She has been on oxygen mask. She is also on drug and doesn’t eat. We feed her through a tube,” she said.

    Unhappy, Mrs Ekpo said the chemotherapy is killing her daughter. She needs red and white blood cells and platelets to survive, but they are not available in this hospital.

    “We have been going to the Island Maternity, Lagos to get platelets. This is not supposed to be so. The trauma is too much for us to bear. I’ve been going to LUTH’s blood bank as if I’m going to the market. My little Esther has been admitted since March. I have spent more than N1 million on her treatment. I need help as soon as possible for my daughter not to die. Someone out there should please help me,” she said.

    Are you moved to reach both or any of these children? Here are their contacts:

    Timothy Olaonipekun: Stanbic IBTC: 0005233079.

    For Esther Ekpo, Nnamdi Ekpo: FirstBank: 3005332691.

  • ‘Two million Nigerians have cancer’

    ‘Two million Nigerians have cancer’

    Cancer, a non-cmmunicable disease, is on the rise in the country. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA and WALE ADEPOJU report the fuelling factors.

    More than 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). Although the risk of developing or dying from it is still higher in the developed world, still early detection and prompt medical attention are key in its management.

    According to the Medical Director, Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, Dr Kodjo Soroh, cancer is on the rise not only in Nigeria, but worldwide. As a result, doctors are still researching into its cure.

    “The unfortunate aspect of cancer situation in Nigeria is not that doctors cannot treat it, but the cost of treatment and availability of medical equipment is grossly inadequate. Nigeria is not prepared for the Tsunami that is about to break in cancer. I did a little survey in the northwest of the country some two years ago. It was recorded in a teaching hospital that 30 new cases are reported every day. Cancer is killing Nigerians every day. The rate at which cancer is killing Nigerians is alarming. It is more than cases of deaths caused by malaria AIDS and Tuberculsis.

    “The best way to get an idea on the prevalence is to go by the WHO statistics on cancer situation in Nigeria. The statistics is alarming. It says per hour, 30 Nigerians are dying of cancer. I say Nigeria is not prepared because if you look at our National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cancer is not covered. So, if you develop cancer now, you are on your own. How many radiotherapy units do you have in Nigeria and the specialists, how many oncologists? Early detection and diagnosis are important. Once these are delayed, it spreads and causes more damage. If you have money to go out, then the cost is on your head.”

    He continued: “The best option anybody has is to prevent it. Government should invest more on the infrastructure and health personnel. Early screening and detection are important in cancer management or its prevention. Let us create more awareness by telling our women to do self breast examination, screen for cervical cancer that is even preventable by getting vaccinated.

    “Let people disabuse their minds on a misconception that if they get female teenagers immunised against cervical cancer; that they are indirectly being prepared for promiscuity. Nigerians should move on. Get our women vaccinated against cervical cancer. There are some women who have been known to keep only a man and still come down with cervical cancer because pappiloma virus is the cause of that type of cancer. The statistics even have it that more married women may have cervical cancer than the unmarried.”

    Consultant Radiotherapist and Oncologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Prof Remi Ajekigbe, said Nigeria records no fewer than 100,000 new cancer cases yearly. He said an estimated two million people are living with the disease in the country, stressing that Nigeria only has three cancer centres to manage the disease.

    “The country should have at least one machine in each geo-political zone for the treatment of the disease. The machine was quite expensive but the country could procure some to ensure access in every zone. Government should subsidise the cost of treatment or include the disease in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), it is very expensive to manage it through out-of-pocket payment,” he said.

    Ajekigbe cautioned against the consumption of junk foods, saying they are carcinogenic. He said: “Sedentary lifestyle should be avoided. Civilisation is responsible for the rising incidence of cancer, as lifestyle has changed for the worse. People should watch their lifestyle and effect changes (modification) to reduce the disease.”

    According to an Epidemilogist, Prof Akin Osibogun: “Cancers in general are referred to as non-communicable disease and can affect any part of the body including the blood. Cancers have multiple causality which implies that they have been known to have arisen due to exposure to different substances. Exposure to a carcinogenic substance is said to initiate a change in the target organ such that at a future date, the cells in that organ refuse to listen to some growth and division restraining messages in cell division and multiplication. In the absence of this restraint, cells multiply and grow at an unusual rate therefore leading to cancer.

    “It is also known that there are some genetic predispositions to cancer such that those with the genetic predisposition are more likely to develop cancers following earlier exposures to carcinogenic substances.

    “The strategy for control must therefore include public awareness to reduce possible exposure to carcinogenic substances e.g the tar in tobacco. Another strategy is early diagnosis and prompt intervention. Cancers diagnosed at an early stage can be virtually cured. Therefore, cancer screening has been a useful tool in cancer control. Surgical excisions of cancerous tumors before they send metases to other parts of the body can help prolong years and grant healthy life years.”

    According to the Medical Director, Triumph Medical Centre, Dr Deji Morenikeji, cancer is the abnormal growth of body tissues in the cells and can affect any part of the body. “When a person is said to have developed cancer, it simply means the cells that are normal are fast growing into abnormal cells and distorting them. There is increase of awareness on cancer now. Government is actually playing a major role in cancer detection. It has a unit in the Ministry of Health dedicated to that.

    “Unfortunately, in this part of the world people go late to the hospital. The treatment is not encouraging. If cancer is detected early, depending on the type of cancer, there is a five- year survival rate, and the rate is higher and impressive. Cancer drugs and treatments are expensive worldwide. Government is trying its best to contain the development of the disease, all things being equal including not having its hereditary trait, and then its prevention, that is, its development is more individualistic.

    “Government does not reject patients when they come to the hospitals, but most cases often go bad because there was no money. More so, no NHIS cover same. So individuals (patients) pay through various means. There are experts here who can treat cancers here beautifully well. But a more enabling environment should be provided. Patients that travel outside the country on medical tourism end up meeting same Nigerian personnel out there.”

    On prevention, he said: “People should be mindful of their lifestyle. They should watch what they eat as what they consume plays important role on their well-being. They should exercise more and do away with sedentary lifestyle. They should do more health assessments, routine medical examinations.”

    Children are not left out of the burden of cancer. According to the Head, Paediatric Department, LUTH, Prof Adebola Akinsulie, “Cancer can be devastating when a patient is made to pay out-of-pocket. Early detection can increase the chances of patient being cured. Cancer in children is curable if presented very early. Educating people, especially parents, about the disease is important.

    “When children start seeing what we refer to as ‘flashes’ in their eyes, it can be a sign, of retinoblastoma – cancer of the eye or when the tummy is growing so hard and you can palpate something hard, that too may be a sign of cancer of kidney. It is only in leaukemia that people don’t get many signs but there are still some signs because it affects the blood. Some children may feel tired and this is why some doctors wrongly treat malaria instead of investigating into the blood for proper diagnosing,” he said.

    Akinsulie said the treatment of cancer in the country compared with other developed countries lies in proper diagnosis, availability of resources to manage it and proper management on good time.

    “Most cancers are picked very early in the advanced countries, which is why the outcome always turn out good. Cancer of kidney otherwise known as nephroblastoma can be curtailed in less than six months, but other cancers are not so. Oncologists may treat other cancers for two years and the survival rate may be only 30 per cent, especially if it presented late.

    “So, dedication is needed. For example, every Nigerian could be asked to donate N100 each and this would translate to over N1 billion, which doctors can use to treat cancer patients. Treating cancer can be better if people can donate for it. There can be a ‘Friends of Leukemia or nephroblastoma group. St Judes Hospital in the United States was willing to collaborate with LUTH. It wanted LUTH to start and run the programme before it would join it. Their fear is that they don’t want people who would steal their fund”, he said.

    On the prevalence rate of children with cancer, Akinsulie said no fewer than five patients who are children visit the hospital for treatment weekly. The ward, he said, is not spacious to accommodate many of them, adding that some are in the out-patient department.

    He said majority of the complaints are on nephroblastoma, while acute limphoblastoma is the most common affecting the blood. Retinoblastoma is also common.

    He urged parents to observe the way their children walk or check if they have abnormal gait or whether they are not walking properly as, “it may be due to cancer of the brain. Governments should subsidise the cost of treating cancer. The various non-govenmental organisations (NGOs) and other support groups can also help to raise funds for treatment.”

  • Prevent cancer, avoid barbecued foods

    Barbecued food has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.  But you can have your barbecue and your health too if you follow these suggestions.

    • Keep a watchful eye to avoid barbecue flare-ups and the resulting charring of your food.  Charred food is linked with the creation of carcinogens.

    • Cook over lower temperatures. Use low to medium cooking temperatures. When foods like meat are heated over high temperatures or come in contact with flames, compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can form. Both compounds are known carcinogens. Of course you don’t need to pronounce them or spell them to reduce your risk of exposure to these carcinogens. Of course if you’re cooking meat or poultry always be sure that the inside temperature reaches a high enough temperature to kill microbes.

    If you’re cooking meat or poultry, marinate it in olive oil and lemon juice-based marinades. Research shows that these two items reduce the formation of cancer-causing compounds by up to 99 per cent while cooking, while adding flavor and helping to keep it moist.

    • Choose naturally low fat foods like vegetables, lean cuts of meat, poultry or fish.  Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily formed when fats are heated to high temperatures or fall into the flames and create smoke. Low fat foods reduce the chance of these compounds forming at all.

    • Trim excess fat from meat prior to cooking it (for the same reason as number 4).

    • Add fresh or dried herbs to cut your cancer risk. These herbs include:  basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage. Food Safety Consortium scientists at Kansas State University discovered that using basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, or sage in marinades drastically reduces the formation of HCAs.  Simply use one or more of these herbs, preferably fresh, in a marinade prior to and during cooking.  They reduce cancer risk and add tremendous flavor.

    • Avoid overcooking vegetables.  The longer they cook the more certain vitamins like vitamin C and B-complex vitamins break down.  New research in Molecular Biology Reports shows that Vitamin C reduces the cancer-causing effects of HCAs.

    • Add more vegetables to the grill. One of the easiest ways to cancer-proof your barbecue is to add more veggies.  Making kebabs is a great way to do this.  If you’re cooking meat on kebabs, the veggies will keep it moist and add fibre, flavor, and nutrients.

    • Include cruciferous vegetables in every barbecue. New research in Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention shows that cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates that form cancer-protective compounds known as isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates have been shown to protect against HCAs and PAHs, making them especially great to cancer-proof your barbecue. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

    • Clean your grill prior to every use. Not only is it more appetizing to eat food that’s been cooked on a clean grill, but you’ll reduce the amount of char that you’ll be eating.  The charred parts of food can cause free radical formation in your body and since free radicals are linked with premature aging, disease, and tissue damage, it’s best to reduce your exposure as much as possible.

     

    •Source: www.care2.com

  • Prevent cancer, avoid barbecue

    Barbecued food has been linked to an increased risk of cancer.  But you can have your barbecue and your health too if you follow these suggestions.

    • Keep a watchful eye to avoid barbecue flare-ups and the resulting charring of your food.  Charred food is linked with the creation of carcinogens.

    • Cook over lower temperatures. Use low to medium cooking temperatures. When foods like meat are heated over high temperatures or come in contact with flames, compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can form. Both compounds are known carcinogens. Of course you don’t need to pronounce them or spell them to reduce your risk of exposure to these carcinogens. Of course if you’re cooking meat or poultry always be sure that the inside temperature reaches a high enough temperature to kill microbes.

    If you’re cooking meat or poultry, marinate it in olive oil and lemon juice-based marinades. Research shows that these two items reduce the formation of cancer-causing compounds by up to 99 per cent while cooking, while adding flavor and helping to keep it moist.

    • Choose naturally low fat foods like vegetables, lean cuts of meat, poultry or fish.  Heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily formed when fats are heated to high temperatures or fall into the flames and create smoke. Low fat foods reduce the chance of these compounds forming at all.

    • Trim excess fat from meat prior to cooking it (for the same reason as number 4).

    • Add fresh or dried herbs to cut your cancer risk. These herbs include:  basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage. Food Safety Consortium scientists at Kansas State University discovered that using basil, mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, or sage in marinades drastically reduces the formation of HCAs.  Simply use one or more of these herbs, preferably fresh, in a marinade prior to and during cooking.  They reduce cancer risk and add tremendous flavor.

    • Avoid overcooking vegetables.  The longer they cook the more certain vitamins like vitamin C and B-complex vitamins break down.  New research in Molecular Biology Reports shows that Vitamin C reduces the cancer-causing effects of HCAs.

    • Add more vegetables to the grill. One of the easiest ways to cancer-proof your barbecue is to add more veggies.  Making kebabs is a great way to do this.  If you’re cooking meat on kebabs, the veggies will keep it moist and add fibre, flavor, and nutrients.

    • Include cruciferous vegetables in every barbecue. New research in Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention shows that cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates that form cancer-protective compounds known as isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates have been shown to protect against HCAs and PAHs, making them especially great to cancer-proof your barbecue. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

    • Clean your grill prior to every use. Not only is it more appetizing to eat food that’s been cooked on a clean grill, but you’ll reduce the amount of char that you’ll be eating.  The charred parts of food can cause free radical formation in your body and since free radicals are linked with premature aging, disease, and tissue damage, it’s best to reduce your exposure as much as possible.

     

    •Source: www.care2.com

  • These children need N17.5m to battle cancer

    These children need N17.5m to battle cancer

    On their sick beds at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), their prayer is to live. Will Nigerians hearken to the cries of Timothy Olaonipekun (13), Chioma Ukanwa (9) and Esther Ekpo (19 months), who are suffering from cancer? WALE ADEPOJU reports.

    THERE they lay on their beds-helpless in the same ward. The three of them have one thing in common: they are suffering from cancer. They require a total of N17.5 million to live in their wards at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). These children are hanging on to life, praying that help would come. Their parents, who have been straining themselves to pay hospital bills, also join their kids in prayers.

    The lives of Timothy Olaonipekun (13); Chioma Ukanwa (9) and Esther Ekpo (19 months) depend on the lifeline they can get from kindhearted Nigerians. Olaonipekun needs N2.5 million, Ukanwa; N10 million and Baby Ekpo, N5 million for treatment. They have cancer.

    Olaonipekun, Junior Secondary pupil of Baptist Boys High School (BBHS), Abeokuta, Ogun State, is battling with leukaemia – cancer of the blood.

    His father, Mr Muyiwa Olaonipekun, said he has spent over N2 million on his son’s ailment, yet the boy would need more money to live.

    Recounting how his ordeal began, Master Olaonipekun said he had a fever early last July and was admitted in the hospital for some days but was discharged when he got better.

    “The morning after I was discharged I became feverish again and for six days I was admitted again at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    “There, I was asked to do tuberculosis (TB) test which was negative. In the 10th week of treatment, I was re-examined and I had a biopsy at the same hospital in Abeokuta where the doctor attended. He gave me a bombshell. He said I have cancer – lymphoblastic.”

    His father said: “The drugs that he is taking are too strong and they don’t allow him to eat. The histopathology report said he has Axilliary Lymp Mode – High Grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphona. It was after this that he was referred to LUTH where he was admitted on November 14, last year. But when his situation improved he was discharged on February 5, this year after the completion of the second round of chemotherapy. He has since been going for chemotherapy. He has resumed the third chemotherapy. It was at LUTH that the doctor said he had leukemia (lymphona).

    “He had some lumps all over his body before he came down with the disease finally. We have spent 13 weeks at LUTH. Initially, we spent 71 days together during the second phase but since then it has been one crisis or the other.”

    Olaonipekun listed the challenges he had undergone to ensure his child stays alive and gain good health back. “Getting platelets in the hospital is a problem. Also, the machine in the hospital has stopped working. LUTH is the major market for platelet. We buy platelet for N5,000, but elsewhere it is sold for N17,000 per pint. There is a hospital in Ikeja where we usually buy the product for N17,000.”

    Olaonipekun, a widower, who lost his wife on April 14, last year, is appealing to well-meaning individuals, corporate organisations and governments at all levels to come to the aid of his dying son.

    He said the BBHS has been supportive but added that his son would need N2.5 million to complete the fourth therapy session.

    “At the moment, Timothy is on the 13th day of a 56-day third course,” Olaonipekun said.

    Ukanwa has also been battling with leukaemia since 2008.

    According to her father, Mr Charles Ukanwa, the ailment started with a fever.

    “She also had rashes all over her body. So, we took her to a private clinic in Lagos. It was from there that we were referred to LUTH in September 2008. She was admitted in the Accident and Emergency Ward (A and E) for three weeks before she was transferred to the Children Ward. My daughter was diagnosed of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    “She had stayed at the Ward D of the hospital for six months, receiving treatment. After she recovered, we stopped taking her to the hospital for treatment due to lack of finance because her treatment was expensive. But, unfortunately, she suffered a relapse in January 2010, but she was okay all through 2009,” he said.

    Ukanwa said the family has spent over N5 million on her treatment.

    “At the moment, she has finished her induction, but she’s staying for further treatment and observations. She presented with swollen leg, neck and jaw, ears and severe pain.

    “Whenever she takes drugs, she usually becomes normal. And she has been in the hospital since last July. This has affected her education as she is still in Primary Four.

    “Her mother, who is an auxilliary nurse, has been waiting on her since she took ill. And she is not working at the moment. The consultant in-charge advised that she should be taken to India where she would be treated for N10 million. But where we would raise that is our challenge and we will for ever be grateful to all and sundry who will help save our daughter’s life and keep us also as parents,” she said.

    Another patient, little Esther Ekpo, 19-month-old, has cancer of the ovary.

    Her mother, Mrs Ann Ekpo, said: “I don’t blame people running away from Nigeria. I’ve friends, who are married to Ghanaians and other nationalities and have gone for good. The government has not done anything to make life meaningful for the people. I discovered that my daughter has ovarian cancer in January. This was after her stomach became swollen. Then, she had a CT Scan, which showed that there was a tumour in her left side.

    “After this shocking discovery, we were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). But because of lack of bed she was again referred to LUTH. She had a biopsy. When they opened her up, they found out that the mass was large. The expert advised she goes on chemotherapy. She has been on oxygen mask. She is also on drug and doesn’t eat. We feed her through a tube,” she said.

    Unhappy, Mrs Ekpo said the chemotherapy is killing her daughter. She needs red and white blood cells and platelets to survive, but they are not available in this hospital.

    “We have been going to the Island Maternity, Lagos to get platelets. This is not supposed to be so. The trauma is too much for us to bear. I’ve been going to LUTH’s blood bank as if I’m going to the market. My little Esther has been admitted since March. I have spent more than N1 million on her treatment. I need help as soon as possible for my daughter not to die. Someone out there should please help me,” she said.

    Are you moved to reach all or any of these children? Here are their contacts:

    Timothy Olaonipekun: Stanbic IBTC: 0005233079.

    Chioma Ukanwa— Charles Ukanwa: First City Monument Bank: 1298996016.

    For Esther Ekpo, Nnamdi Ekpo: FirstBank: 3005332691.

  • ‘Two million Nigerians have cancer’

    ‘Two million Nigerians have cancer’

    Cancer, a non-cmmunicable disease, is on the rise in the country. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA and WALE ADEPOJU report the fuelling factors.

    More than 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, says the World Health Organisation (WHO). Although the risk of developing or dying from it is still higher in the developed world, still early detection and prompt medical attention are key in its management.

    According to the Medical Director, Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company, Dr Kodjo Soroh, cancer is on the rise not only in Nigeria, but worldwide. As a result, doctors are still researching into its cure.

    “The unfortunate aspect of cancer situation in Nigeria is not that doctors cannot treat it, but the cost of treatment and availability of medical equipment is grossly inadequate. Nigeria is not prepared for the Tsunami that is about to break in cancer. I did a little survey in the northwest of the country some two years ago. It was recorded in a teaching hospital that 30 new cases are reported every day. Cancer is killing Nigerians every day. The rate at which cancer is killing Nigerians is alarming. It is more than cases of deaths caused by malaria AIDS and Tuberculsis.

    “The best way to get an idea on the prevalence is to go by the WHO statistics on cancer situation in Nigeria. The statistics is alarming. It says per hour, 30 Nigerians are dying of cancer. I say Nigeria is not prepared because if you look at our National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cancer is not covered. So, if you develop cancer now, you are on your own. How many radiotherapy units do you have in Nigeria and the specialists, how many oncologists? Early detection and diagnosis are important. Once these are delayed, it spreads and causes more damage. If you have money to go out, then the cost is on your head.”

    He continued: “The best option anybody has is to prevent it. Government should invest more on the infrastructure and health personnel. Early screening and detection are important in cancer management or its prevention. Let us create more awareness by telling our women to do self breast examination, screen for cervical cancer that is even preventable by getting vaccinated.

    “Let people disabuse their minds on a misconception that if they get female teenagers immunised against cervical cancer; that they are indirectly being prepared for promiscuity. Nigerians should move on. Get our women vaccinated against cervical cancer. There are some women who have been known to keep only a man and still come down with cervical cancer because pappiloma virus is the cause of that type of cancer. The statistics even have it that more married women may have cervical cancer than the unmarried.”

    Consultant Radiotherapist and Oncologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Prof Remi Ajekigbe, said Nigeria records no fewer than 100,000 new cancer cases yearly. He said an estimated two million people are living with the disease in the country, stressing that Nigeria only has three cancer centres to manage the disease.

    “The country should have at least one machine in each geo-political zone for the treatment of the disease. The machine was quite expensive but the country could procure some to ensure access in every zone. Government should subsidise the cost of treatment or include the disease in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), it is very expensive to manage it through out-of-pocket payment,” he said.

    Ajekigbe cautioned against the consumption of junk foods, saying they are carcinogenic. He said: “Sedentary lifestyle should be avoided. Civilisation is responsible for the rising incidence of cancer, as lifestyle has changed for the worse. People should watch their lifestyle and effect changes (modification) to reduce the disease.”

    According to an Epidemilogist, Prof Akin Osibogun: “Cancers in general are referred to as non-communicable disease and can affect any part of the body including the blood. Cancers have multiple causality which implies that they have been known to have arisen due to exposure to different substances. Exposure to a carcinogenic substance is said to initiate a change in the target organ such that at a future date, the cells in that organ refuse to listen to some growth and division restraining messages in cell division and multiplication. In the absence of this restraint, cells multiply and grow at an unusual rate therefore leading to cancer.

    “It is also known that there are some genetic predispositions to cancer such that those with the genetic predisposition are more likely to develop cancers following earlier exposures to carcinogenic substances.

    “The strategy for control must therefore include public awareness to reduce possible exposure to carcinogenic substances e.g the tar in tobacco. Another strategy is early diagnosis and prompt intervention. Cancers diagnosed at an early stage can be virtually cured. Therefore, cancer screening has been a useful tool in cancer control. Surgical excisions of cancerous tumors before they send metases to other parts of the body can help prolong years and grant healthy life years.”

    According to the Medical Director, Triumph Medical Centre, Dr Deji Morenikeji, cancer is the abnormal growth of body tissues in the cells and can affect any part of the body. “When a person is said to have developed cancer, it simply means the cells that are normal are fast growing into abnormal cells and distorting them. There is increase of awareness on cancer now. Government is actually playing a major role in cancer detection. It has a unit in the Ministry of Health dedicated to that.

    “Unfortunately, in this part of the world people go late to the hospital. The treatment is not encouraging. If cancer is detected early, depending on the type of cancer, there is a five- year survival rate, and the rate is higher and impressive. Cancer drugs and treatments are expensive worldwide. Government is trying its best to contain the development of the disease, all things being equal including not having its hereditary trait, and then its prevention, that is, its development is more individualistic.

    “Government does not reject patients when they come to the hospitals, but most cases often go bad because there was no money. More so, no NHIS cover same. So individuals (patients) pay through various means. There are experts here who can treat cancers here beautifully well. But a more enabling environment should be provided. Patients that travel outside the country on medical tourism end up meeting same Nigerian personnel out there.”

    On prevention, he said: “People should be mindful of their lifestyle. They should watch what they eat as what they consume plays important role on their well-being. They should exercise more and do away with sedentary lifestyle. They should do more health assessments, routine medical examinations.”

    Children are not left out of the burden of cancer. According to the Head, Paediatric Department, LUTH, Prof Adebola Akinsulie, “Cancer can be devastating when a patient is made to pay out-of-pocket. Early detection can increase the chances of patient being cured. Cancer in children is curable if presented very early. Educating people, especially parents, about the disease is important.

    “When children start seeing what we refer to as ‘flashes’ in their eyes, it can be a sign, of retinoblastoma – cancer of the eye or when the tummy is growing so hard and you can palpate something hard, that too may be a sign of cancer of kidney. It is only in leaukemia that people don’t get many signs but there are still some signs because it affects the blood. Some children may feel tired and this is why some doctors wrongly treat malaria instead of investigating into the blood for proper diagnosing,” he said.

    Akinsulie said the treatment of cancer in the country compared with other developed countries lies in proper diagnosis, availability of resources to manage it and proper management on good time.

    “Most cancers are picked very early in the advanced countries, which is why the outcome always turn out good. Cancer of kidney otherwise known as nephroblastoma can be curtailed in less than six months, but other cancers are not so. Oncologists may treat other cancers for two years and the survival rate may be only 30 per cent, especially if it presented late.

    “So, dedication is needed. For example, every Nigerian could be asked to donate N100 each and this would translate to over N1 billion, which doctors can use to treat cancer patients. Treating cancer can be better if people can donate for it. There can be a ‘Friends of Leukemia or nephroblastoma group. St Judes Hospital in the United States was willing to collaborate with LUTH. It wanted LUTH to start and run the programme before it would join it. Their fear is that they don’t want people who would steal their fund”, he said.

    On the prevalence rate of children with cancer, Akinsulie said no fewer than five patients who are children visit the hospital for treatment weekly. The ward, he said, is not spacious to accommodate many of them, adding that some are in the out-patient department.

    He said majority of the complaints are on nephroblastoma, while acute limphoblastoma is the most common affecting the blood. Retinoblastoma is also common.

    He urged parents to observe the way their children walk or check if they have abnormal gait or whether they are not walking properly as, “it may be due to cancer of the brain. Governments should subsidise the cost of treating cancer. The various non-govenmental organisations (NGOs) and other support groups can also help to raise funds for treatment.”

  • Ex-Chief Dehinde Fernadez’s wife, Aduke, succumbs to cancer

    Cancer, that notorious ailment that seems to have become the albatross of the rich, has struck once again. Its wrath this time was targeted at Aduke Olufunmilayo, a former wife of one of Nigeria’s billionaires, Chief Antonio Dehinde Fernandez. Aduke succumbed to the cold hands of death a few days ago.

    While Aduke and her estranged husband had ended their marriage as a result of ‘irreconcilable differences’, the billionaire is nonetheless touched by the loss of a woman that was once so dear to his heart.

    Aduke would be remembered by many for her involvement in one of the most celebrated divorce cases. She had filed her papers in the court in Edinburg, claiming that her marriage to Fernandez had broken down as a result of the billionaire’s domineering attitude. The reclusive billionaire later moved out of their Georgian town home in Edinburgh.

    In 2012, the rumour broke that the billionaire was reuniting with his estranged wife, but he fiercely denied it. “It is a big lie. It will not happen in a million years,” he thundered. However, those who should know said must have felt the loss of Aduke.

    An American by birth, Aduke died in a New York hospital after battling with the illness for ages. As expected, she sought a permanent cure for her ailment in several countries to no avail.

    Fernandez is presently married to Halima, a former beauty queen from Kano.

  • Cancer where you never thought to look

    •Five things that harm your heart

    You know where to check for breast cancer, but do you know where to check for skin cancer? Skin is the largest organ on our bodies, but it can be easy to overlook some spots. For instance, when was the last time your doctor took a good look at your feet? For that matter, when is the last time you looked at the bottoms of your feet?

    Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 3.5 million cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. Harmful sun rays often cause skin cancer, but skin cancer on the feet can also be related to viruses.

    Take a few minutes to examine your skin and take a look at your feet. Don’t forget to look at the bottoms and in between toes. If you notice anything unusual, make an appointment to see your doctor.

    “Most [skin cancers] are painless, but often there’s a history of recurrent cracking, itching, bleeding, or ulceration,” cautions Dr. Gary Stones, Podiatrist and New York State Podiatric Medical Association President. “These cancers often go undiagnosed until another issue presents itself near the affected site.” Podiatrists are trained to recognize skin conditions of the foot.

    As with all types of cancer, early detection and treatment may result in a more positive prognosis.

     

    Skin cancer warning signs

    On the foot, basal cell cancers can appear like noncancerous skin tumors or benign ulcers. Skin cancer on the foot can often look like plantar warts, fungal infections, eczema, or other dermatological conditions.

    Make an appointment to see your doctor if you notice: non-healing sores; bumps that crack and bleed; inflamed bumps; nodules with rolled edges or scaly areas; callous-like lesions and ongoing itchiness. A skin biopsy can identify whether cells are cancerous or noncancerous.

    Meanwhile, there are five things that harm your heart and which you ought to be wary of. The human heart, according to ancient healers in India, is actually two hearts: the physical heart and the emotional heart. One keeps us alive, the other keeps us happy. Of course, this is a metaphorical way of looking at an organ that is essentially a wondrous machine. But this description works well for me when I try to think of ways to keep my heart in good shape. It tells me that I must not only pay attention to the foods I eat, but also the thoughts that I think and the feelings that I feel.

    Here are five proven heart-harming agents. Avoid them, and stay well:

    Carrying a grudge: or feeling intense anger, which remains bottled up. Very dangerous for the heart, because it raises blood pressure and makes you vulnerable to damage from free radicals, the agents of disease and aging. Let off steam from time to time. Smile more. Don’t walk around with an inflated ego. Be willing to apologize and make up. Life is too short to surround yourself with negativity. Help your heart; be a positive person.

    Carrying a ‘beer belly’: A paunch can indicate coronary artery disease, which means you are at a greater risk of heart attack. Add to this the infamous ‘muffin top,’ and you’re looking at a very serious health threat. The solution: get off the couch. Toss away the bag of potato chips, and ditch the alcohol. Move, for your heart’s sake!

    Sitting long hours: A sedentary lifestyle makes us sitting ducks for heart disease. Research has shown that even light to moderate exercise helps improve blood flow and makes the heart stronger. Also, try to get your full quota of sleep, because lack of adequate rest also places extra strain on the heart.

    Large portion sizes: when we eat more than we should, we put on weight. All those extra pounds force the heart to work harder, and eventually weaken it. The best way to keep your weight in check is to eat less. Eat from a smaller plate. Avoid second helpings. Share dessert and fried foods if you must eat them.  For every morsel you decline, your heart is one beat more grateful!

    Lack of company: Loneliness can be a terrible thing. And its effects are not limited to the outpourings of poets and lovers. The heart takes the brunt of solitary suffering, and studies show that people with fewer friends die sooner than those with strong social bonds. Step out and mingle with people. Call a friend. Open your heart!

     

    •Source: www.care2.com/ greenliving

     

  • ‘No faith healing for cancer’

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday urged residents to go for medical check ups regularly.

    The governor warned women against regarding cancer as the “handiwork of the devil or witches”, which can be cured spiritually.

    He spoke through his deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, at the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, during a cancer awareness walk across the state capital.

    The occasion witnessed the kick off of a week-long free cancer screening in Ado-Ekiti, Ikere, Ifaki, Ijero and Ikole-Ekiti.

    Explaining that N100 million was spent on the last free health mission, Fayemi said: “This was to ensure that our people live a healthy life.”

    He advised residents to eat fresh foods, rather than items that had stayed long in freezers, “which could have lost their nutritional values”.

    Fayemi said: “Do not ascribe any ailment to spiritual attack. Our people are fond of saying they are being afflicted by witches and wizards, even when they are suffering from a purely medical problem. I advise you to always take your medical problems to doctors, rather than pastors.”

    The governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi, said: “Despite our campaigns, some still believe that this disease is caused by witches and demons. Uptil now, scientists are unable to come up with a cure, so what we are left with is for people to go for early detection screening before it reaches stage three or four, when it can no longer be managed.

    The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Olusola Fasubaa, urged residents to take advantage of the free screening.

    Also at the walk were the wife of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Olori Bosede Adejugbe; Commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi and her counterparts in the Ministry of Environment Dr. Eniola Ajayi and the Ministry of Special Duties, Mr. Wole Adewumi.

  • Option to combat breast cancer

    Last week, an article written by Hollywood actress,Angelina Jolie revealed that she had undergone a double mastectomy to lower her risk of breast cancer, which was high due to her genetic inheritance. Angelina Jolie’s revelation of her mastectomy was a welcome development in opening up the discussion of a subject matter and operation that still carries a stigma for many women.

    Breast cancer and the options that women have to combat and fight it is a subject that I am very passionate about. Several years ago, I lost a good friend to cancer. She battled with breast cancer for a relatively short time before succumbing to the dreadful disease. She was quite young, vibrant and had an extremely healthy family with children. My friend was the last person I would have thought to be diagnosed with breast cancer. After all growing up, I had always been told that women who breastfed their babies were hardly ever candidates for breast cancer. Apparently not! That devastating incident made me feel vulnerable and scared; I realized that I lacked knowledge about a disease which threatens each and every woman.

    Cancer, unlike a lot of other fatal diseases is one of those that is potentially in all of our bodies. It is our responsibility to educate our families and ourselves so that we can do everything possible to help anyone dealing with this venomous illness. Something as simple as regular caution and self-test could determine the line between life and death, pain or otherwise. That is why this week I would like to share some information with my readers on the causes, symptoms and treatments of breast cancer. If nothing else, I hope this article will give the information that may reduce the suffering of a husband or a daughter or even save a neighbor. Knowledge is power and for those battling with the illness, the more they learn about their options and about the cancer, the better equipped they are to handle the challenges of the disease.

    Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. There are different stages of breast cancer ranging from Stage 0 all the way through to Stage 4. Stage 0 signifies non-invasive breast cancer; at stage 1, cancer cells invade neighboring tissue. When the tumor reaches stage 2, the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. At stage 3, the tumor has spread to lymph nodes, and nodes are clumping and sticking to surrounding tissue, the tumor may have further spread to the breast skin causing inflammatory breast cancer; a very serious, aggressive type of breast cancer that makes the breast look red. Sometimes doctors misdiagnose this as a mere infection so patients must always be aware. At stage 4 the tumor has spread to lungs, liver, bone, or brain. Stages 0 through to 2 are the early stages of detection and can be cured quite easily, stage 3 is a later stage with a chance of recovery, however stage 4 is the advanced stage, here the tumor has become quite advanced and complicated.

    Since the first couple of stages can be controlled, it is pertinent for every woman to practice early detection. The goal is to find breast cancer as early as possible, when it is most curable. Women can do monthly breast self-examination by examining themselves a couple of days after their monthly period. She should do this by lying down on her back and using her palm to feel for any unusual lumps. Not every lump means cancer, but a woman will come to know her body well if she regularly performs the examination making it easier for her to recognize an alien growth. It is also important to ask a doctor if he can do a more thorough examination whenever a person goes to the hospital especially if a woman is above 40 years old. Without a doubt, regular breast self-exams, combined with an annual exam by a doctor, improves the chances of detecting cancer early.

    If a woman finds herself in a position where she has breast cancer, surgery should be her first option. There are a number of surgical options ranging from breast conserving surgery, commonly known as lumpectomy, in which only the tumor is removed from the breast, or mastectomy, an operation in which the whole breast is removed; the kind that Angelina Jolie recently had.

    Radiation therapy, available in Nigeria is a highly targeted, highly effective way to destroy cancer cells that may linger after surgery and it reduces the risk of recurrence. Despite what many women fear, radiation therapy is apparently not as hard to bear as one would imagine, and the side effects are limited to the area being treated. The most dreaded of treatments, chemotherapy on the other hand is a systemic therapy, which affects the whole body by going through the bloodstream. The purpose of chemotherapy and other systemic treatments is to get rid of any cancer cells that may have spread from where the cancer started to another part of the body. However, there are a number of side effects associated with chemotherapy because other cells in the blood, mouth, hair nose, etc will also be affected, which is probably why patients try to avoid it at all costs. It is usually one of the last options to be tried and will only be done if the cancer has widely spread. Because prevention is better than cure, the best way one is able to fight breast cancer is to have regular check ups, scans and self-examinations.

    Even better than detecting the disease on time is little day-to-day things we can do to try and prevent the disease. A person’s immunity can be enhanced if they exercised regularly, ate healthy, reduced stress level and avoided obesity. The limitation of red meat and other sources of animal fat is always a healthy option because they contain stored hormones or pesticides; instead more fruits and vegetables would be a healthy substitute. For those who smoke and drink, try to stop or gently wean yourselves at your own pace.

     

    In no way am I saying that these precautions out rightly prevents any form of cancer, but it will increase a person’s immunity and put them in a better stead to fight the disease should one be unfortunate to be struck with the disease. And again in no way am I saying that when it’s your time to die, the above will prevent you from dying. Out destinies dictate that, with or without cancer, every one of us will die when our time is up, but it is wise to be precautious about a disease that we now know enough about.

    For the vast majority of us cancer is something devastating that just happens because of defective genes, a family history, one off unexplained phenomena or otherwise? Without a doubt, it is one of the worst scourges to visit a person. When a family member is inflicted with it, it extends to the rest of the family. The one thing worst than your own death, is to witness the suffering and eventual death of a loved one.

    Cancer doesn’t just eat up the body, it eats up hope and life, it doesn’t just affect one person, it affects everyone. One just prays that one day those scientists working round the clock to find a cure are able to achieve the seemingly impossible and save humanity from the suffering that cancer brings. But in the meantime, we do have an option to focus on our strength of mind and preservation of good health so that we can live the best life possible well into our future. For my friend it is too late but for Angelina Jolie and millions of women around the world, we have all the information at our disposal and the options to combat breast cancer before breast cancer combats us.