The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cancer

  • Youths run against cancer

    THE Invasion Radiography, a group made up of students from various higher institutions in Lagos has staged a walk to draw attention to the menace of cancer in the nation.

    Tagged race against cancer in Nigeria, human rights activist Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin of the Women Arise for Change Initiative also joined the 2.2km walk around Alausa, Ikeja and its environs.

    They went about sensitising residents on the dangers of cancer and importance of early detection.

    Okei-Odumakin said the alarming threat of cancer cases coupled with the unavailability of dedicated hospitals to address and tame the deadly disease have succeeded in leaving many in permanent fear and uncertain future.

    “The death toll arising from cancer cases is highly discouraging. There is low awareness and no medical navigational routes to assist and support people with these cancerous issues,” she lamented.

    According to her, breast and cervical cancer diseases are very serious health challenges that mainly affect women irrespective of age, status and religion.

    She urged women and ladies from 16 and above to carry out self-breast examinations every month after menstrual period or any other time they feel uncomfortable with their breasts.

    She also commended the youths for their initiative in bringing together other youths to draw attention to the menace in the society.

    One of the arrowheads, Bayo Oke, a graduate of Medical Radiography, College of Medicine LUTH, said one of the aims of the group is to draw attention to those little things one could do to live a cancer-free life, such as regular physical exercises.

    “The campaign outlined actions that communities and individuals could take to save lives, achieve greater equity in cancer care and make fighting cancer a priority at the highest political level,” he said.

    On individual’s role in fighting cancer, Oke said: “Individuals could make healthy lifestyle choices by engaging in weekly physical activities for at least two and half hours for adult and an hour for children.

    Other lifestyle modifications that Bayo Oke, who is the Admin and Project Director for the organisation mentioned include avoiding tobacco smoking and chewing, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake and staying safe under the sun.”

    Director of Operations and Content Development for the group, Olusegun Marvellous, emphasised high index of suspicion for early symptoms and signs of cancer as key.

    “Finding cancer early makes it easier to treat and cure,” he said.

    He called on governments to commit adequate resources to reduce cancer death and provide better quality of life for patients and survivors.

    Ibrahim Abdul Akeem, who works at the Lagos State House of Assembly and the creative Director for the group, listed factors such poor awareness, poor health seeking behaviour, low level of non-governmental investments, low number of skilled health care personnel, funding gaps, amongst others as barriers to the treatment of cancer in Nigeria.

    He called on interested stakeholders in the national and international arena to partner with authorities so that more laudable achievements could be recorded in the management of cancer cases in Nigeria.

  • While celebrating cannabis day…

    When the word “cannabis” is used or spoken of, a negative connotation readily comes to mind. It usually goes by different street names like weed, igbo etc.

    Each year on the 20th of April, cannabis advocates around the global world gather to celebrate cannabis culture even though it might be legal or illegal in some countries.

    It is a genus of flowering plant in the family cannabaceae. It is often used as a recreational drug which is only behind alcohol and tobacco.

    Medically, has long been used for hemp fibre, oils and other medicinal purposes. In the United States, it was believed that over 100 million Americans have tried cannabis, with twenty-five million Americans having used it within the past year.

    In Nigeria, there seems to be a widespread abuse of the plant, especially amongst the youths. We find it being abused in parties, gatherings and dark corners in our milieu.

    Smoking it causes a lot of damage to the human body. It shrinks the brain of a person, and can eventually cause grave psychological disorders or death.

    Other side effects of cannabis include the destruction of the lungs and risk of developing cancer of the respiratory tract.

    The effects experienced by users and abusers are variable and will depend upon the dose, method of administration, prior experience, any concurrent drug use, personal expectations, mood state and the social environment in which the drug is used.

    Asides the overtly destructive nature of cannabis, it still has its usefulness, especially within the legal framework of the country. It can be used to provide warmth especially in very cold regions of the world. It is also used in improving appetite in those who are HIV/AIDS positive. Quite ironically, medical conditions like lung cancer and Emphysema have been shown to regress when cannabis is introduced into the mix.

    On the overall scale, the (illegal) use of cannabis should be seriously dissuaded and condemned as this could portend serious health and social risks for us all.

  • Wanted most urgently: A centre for Cancer treatment in Nigeria

    Is this health week? I don’t know. If it is, then we are in order. If it is not, can somebody please declare this a health week so that we can make some demands? For my part, I have only one demand, and it is that the Federal Ministry of Health should urgently set up a cancer centre in this country. That it has not done so, so far, is extremely egregious to me, and speaks somewhat of the rather preoccupied air of our leaders.

    (Some minutes later) Reader, I have just found out that the World Health Day is April 7th; so, I am out of order, I guess. But, no matter. My call is too important to wait till April. If by that date this all-important call has not been heeded, you can be sure I will repeat it. I’m sure you’ve found out by now that I love repeating myself.

    I feel a little right now like the tortoise. I think I’ve told you his story before. I know, I know; he has so many of them you don’t know which one. I’m talking about the one where he got stuck in a pit latrine for thirteen years. Well, there he was in that place, and the day he was being rescued, what does he do but to shout intermittently: ‘quick, quick, I can’t stand the stench of this place much longer.’ I told you I just love repeat….

    Anyway, you would have noticed that I have capitalised the first letter of every word in our topic today. That is because I want everything to emphasise the importance of this call. It is possible that the Federal Ministry of Health is already thinking of doing something, I don’t know, but the situation is too urgent to allow for too much thinking. It’s the kind that calls for shooting first and asking questions later. This means acting first and fine-tuning later.

    So sorry, reader, to be so late in introducing my subject matter today. Trouble is, my mind’s all in sixes. I’ve just read this newspaper column that says as many as 40 women and 26 men die daily in Nigeria from cancer (alone). That is unacceptably high. Let’s do a little calculation here. 40 multiplied by 365 days of the year is 14,600 for women and 9,490 for men. If we remove this combined number each year from the population (I’m not sure how many we are adding to that population through births, naturalisation, etc.), we find that the figure is dismal indeed. Can we really afford to throw these people off the grid just like that each year? This is exactly what our governments have been doing.

    The columnist went on to add that 100,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and worse, we can even expect a 75 per cent increase in the number of cases in the next decade. I am greatly troubled by this, and I expect President Buhari to be as well. The surprise is that the man still manages to sleep in the middle of all these figures. My own sleep is right now hitting a brick wall. It, these figures that is, not my sleep, calls for a solemn, sober assembly of all of us. I’ll be glad if you can also convoke a sober solemn assembly on my sleep, people, cause honestly I’ve lost it, especially since I took my calculations further.

    My calculations show that 1 in every 8,ooo+ Nigerians can be expected to be affected by this thing, going by the 180m figure people are suddenly bandying about. So, with that fact, do you seriously expect me to sleep? I am worried; you should be too even if our leaders are not. Indeed, I find it horrifying that our leaders are not worried. I think it is mostly because most of them believe they have amassed enough resources from the state to be able to jet out of the country in search of help at the least sign of trouble. Unfortunately, the thing does not really care where it strikes and will as soon hit the king as the pauper.

    So, I find this insouciance by our leaders gross and unbelievable. My dictionary defines gross as ‘disgusting, nasty, coarse, rude, vulgar, obscene, unrefined, shameful’ when used in its slang form. It however captures my sentiments right now. Believe me, I am exerting a lot of effort not to add the word vacuous, which my dictionary defines as ‘showing lack of thought or intelligence’. I believe though our leaders have not acted heretofore because we the followers have not made our feelings known.

    Well, I am hereby putting it on notice that we the followers need and want a centre dedicated to the diagnosis, research, and treatment of cancer in Nigeria, preferably yesterday so that we can learn what to do to avoid having it. Thank you very much. Maybe then, we would come close to finding the cause, course and cure for it, and the afflicted can get some solace and relief.

    In the past, this column threw many hints and clues the way of the government regarding this issue. We mentioned before that there were too many cancer-afflicted people begging on the streets with no one to care for them except relatives, neighbours and passers-by who are often helpless in the face of the disease and the exorbitant costs of care. And the government has just looked on impassively as different swollen parts of the body are paraded around streets in order to raise pittances.

    Unfortunately, the scene painted above does not speak of any kind of governance in the land. It rather speaks of the law of the jungle where everyman is for himself. The facts known about the dreaded disease make its pronouncement strike fear into people. This means that when the doctor makes the pronouncement, it is taken as a death sentence in Nigeria. The fact that those afflicted have nowhere to go for help makes it worse.

    Most hospitals in Nigeria are hardly equipped to take care of anything more than basic problems, if that. Special problems like cancer hardly fall within their budgets. As a matter of urgency, the Federal Ministry of Health needs to actualise the setting up of a centre devoted to research on and treatment of cancer or the conversion of an existing structure into such. That centre would be dedicated to the management of that big C in terms of staff, machines and drugs.

    More importantly, the government needs to work out a financial programme for the care of sufferers who may stand in need of the services of the Guardian of the Poor or the almoner. Invariably, most sufferers would. Every hospital needs one of these almoners, but those with terminal diseases need them more. The government’s Health Insurance programme is really not on target because it reaches only a small portion of the populace, and it’s too little. For instance, it is known that it can only take care of health problems that cost less than the price of a recharge card. In effect, the programme is succeeding in making a few people very, very rich and leaving many people very, very sick, but these are on their own when major illnesses strike.

    It is indeed shameful that the government appears to need convincing to do this right thing. A cancer centre and programme will help relieve people of a serious burden, and possibly reduce the frightening number of deaths from the disease. The government must take the idea very, very seriously.

  • AXA Mansard Health, others move against breast cancer

    AXA Mansard Health Limited, a leading health insurance provider and its partners African Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) and Alliance Hospital, Abuja have showed their commitment to tackling breast cancer by sponsoring a breast cancer seminar.

    It was titled: ‘Current trends in the management of breast cancer.’

    The event featured the education on breast cancer and its management.

    An oncologist Dr Bisi Ademuyiwa listed strategies on preventing cancer, handling triple negative breast cancers, global best practices and emerging new trends in breast cancer treatment.

    She dispelled myths and  tales about the nature, causes, spread and treatment of breast cancer.

    Dr. Ademuyiwa also consulted with 40 breast cancer patients at the Alliance Hospital, Garki, Abuja.

    This was in line with AXA Mansard’s focus on the needs of the  women, and its SHE (Super Heroes Everyday) Initiative, through which the firm demonstrates its understanding of the woman – her nature,  needs, goals and achievements.

    The SHE initiative identifies how important the woman is and proffers solutions to her challenges.

    AXA Mansard Health Limited Chief Executive Officer Mr. Tope Adeniyi said: ” Breast cancer is beyond just a health issue; it has social and economic implications on its victims, their families and their societies. We will, therefore, continue to be an active participant in the fight against the deadly scourge.”

    Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women. It kills about half a million of them yearly due to insufficient medical care and awareness about the disease.

  • Adewole praises Shell for donating cancer treatment machine

    Adewole praises Shell for donating cancer treatment machine

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has praised oil giant Shell Petroleum Development Company for donating a radiotherapy machine for cancer treatment to the National Hospital, Abuja.

    He spoke while inspecting the Elekta machine for Linear Accelerator (LINAC), made up of several components, would be put to use in June.

    Adewole said the Abuja Radiotherapy Centre would be running on two linear accelerators.

    He said: “The beauty of having two machines is that if one packs up, the second one will be in use for the benefit of cancer patients.’’

    Adewole the machine will contribute immensely to the fight against cancer.

    He called on other multi-national organisations, individuals and groups to emulate Shell.

    He reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to the reduction of cancer, which is being demonstrated by the phased installation of one cancer treatment machine in each of the six geo-political zones and two in Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The National Hospital, Abuja, Chief Medical Director, Dr. Jeff Momoh, noted that the second machine would assist in providing  standard cancer treatment to patients in Nigeria and other African countries, thereby reducing cancer burden in the continent.

    The representative of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Dr. Akinwumi Fajola, said the donation the machine was one of the company’s way of giving back to the society.

  • Health minister inspects cancer treatment machine in Abuja

    Health minister inspects cancer treatment machine in Abuja

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has inspected the second Radiotherapy machine for Cancer treatment at the National Hospital Abuja, Wednesday.

    The Elekta machine for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is made up of several components which would be coupled and made functional for patients in June, 2018.

    Speaking during the inspection tour, Prof. Adewole said the Abuja Radiotherapy centre would be running two Linear accelerators at the same time.

    He further said that “the beauty of having two Machines is that if one pack up, the second one will be in use for the benefit of cancer patients’’.

    Prof. Adewole lauded the Shell Petroleum Development Company for donating the cancer treatment machine which he said would contribute immensely to the fight against cancer while calling on other Multi National Organisations, Individuals and Groups to undertake such gesture as part of their social reponbility to the citizenry.

    He further reiterated Federal Government’s commitment towards reducing the effect of cancer in Nigeria which is being demonstrated by the on-going phased installation of one cancer treatment machine in each of the Six Geo- Political Zones plus two in FCT.

    Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital Abuja, Dr. Jeff Momoh noted that the second machine would greatly assist in the provision of standard cancer treatment to patients in Nigeria and other African countries thereby reducing cancer burden in the entire continent.

    The representative of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Dr. Akinwumi Fajola, said the donation of the Cancer Treatment Machine was one of the company’s way of giving back to the Society in which it operates.

    Read Also: We have developed herbal anti-diabetic, anti-cancer drugs – FUD VC

  • Early detection of cancer in children treatable

    Early detection of cancer in children treatable

    Gwarimpa General Hospital, Abuja Chief Consultant Paediatrician Dr Nkechi Anunobi, has said early detection of cancer in children is treatable.

    Anunobi said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

    She said: “Children also suffer cancer, childhood cancer is treatable if detected early; cancer is not only for the adult, it also occurs in some infant.

    “There are different types of cancer in children but the most common is the leukaemia, cancer of the blood. The cause of cancer in children is usually not the same ones that cause cancer in adults, such as smoking or exposure to environmental toxins.

    “In most cases, however, childhood cancers come from random mutations in the genes of growing cells. Because these changes happen randomly and unpredictably, there is no effective way to prevent them,’’ she said.

    Anunobi said leukaemia which are cancers of the bone marrow and blood, are the most common in childhood.

    She added that leukemias can cause bone and joint pain, fatigue, weakness, pale skin, bleeding or bruising, fever, weight loss and other symptoms.

    According to her, a few environmental factors, such as radiation exposure, have been linked with some types of childhood cancers.

    She said some studies have also suggested that some parental exposures smoking could increase a child’s risk of certain cancers.

     

  • Group urges govt on cancer

    Group urges govt on cancer

    Do you know that cancer can be prevented? How, you wondered? It is through a healthy lifestyle/dietary changes and medical instructions.

    According to the wife of governor of Lagos State,  Bolanle Ambode  Nigerians, especially women should take their health seriously by going to health facilities for early screening/diagnosis if they have concerns about their health, especially breasts.

    Mrs Ambode stated this at the fourth annual public lecture to commemorate the World Cancer Day, organised by Landers 88 (Landers 88 Reunion Club) held at the Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School. The theme was: Prevent and Fight Cancer, We Can I Can.

    The lecture was organised to immortalise a colleague of theirs, Omolara Jolaoso and create awareness on the early detection and prevention of cancer. Mrs Ambode was represented by Mrs Olufunmilayo. Present were also top medical doctors and psychotherapists.

    Mrs ambode said cancer is no more a death sentence as perceived by many if the right steps are taken early enough.

    She said: “What we are saying therefore is that cancer is no more a death sentence if people will follow medical advice and treatment instructions. One thing we need to do very quickly in our fight against the scourge is to step up awareness and public enlightenment among the people. We must let everyone know – both young and old, that cancer can be effectively prevented if some simple dietary and medical instructions are followed. We must also spread the message that the conditions can also be managed for the afflicted to live a normal and useful pain-free-life.

    “Too many lives have been cut down locally and globally by cancer, what we must emphasise is what can be done to save precious lives and prevent needless deaths in cold hands of cancer. For too long it has caused untold pains and anguish among the people but the good news is that cancer is gradually being demystified, though a permanent cure may not have been found yet but we now have reliable clues on prevention and the condition can be managed with strict adherence to medical instructions.”

    President of the Club, Soji Adekogbe, lamented the unavailability of enough equipment in hospitals and therefore urged the government to declare a purpose-driven state of emergency in the health sector.

    He said: ‘’Sadly, due to limited cancer treatment equipments in Nigeria, many die even before it gets to their turn to get on the equipment. Once again, I call on government to wake up to its responsibilities to the citizens of Nigeria and declare a purpose driven state of emergency in the health sector. Since the global direction is forward looking and geared towards reducing cancer related illness and deaths, it is therefore pertinent that Nigeria is not left out of this movement. We therefore use this opportunity to seek more strategic partnerships with Landers 88 Reunion Club in the fight against cancer in Nigeria and urge Government at local, state and federal levels to change the cancer treatment narrative in the country.”

    Medical Director of Alimosho General Hospital Dr M.A Adebajo said people need to pay attention to theirhealth and go for regular checkups to know the state of their health.

    Adebajo said the cost of a full check up is very low compare to that of treatment, as he added, “I would advise people to go for check up on time. In fact, it is very costly to treat cancer but a lot more cheaply to prevent. Go for regular check up at least once in six months.”

    A consultant, Dr Adeleke Kaka  said people don’t seek for help on time, instead they try so many remedies, seek opinions from friends before going to the doctor, “let’s note that loosing blood can impair your function. If you notice some swellings on your body you should contact your doctor immediately. It is important that when you have such cases you meet the right doctor. The doctor will check if there are any abnormal growths in the body and other things before arriving at conclusion.”

  • Doctors: cancer treatable

    Cancer has become the world’s most expensive and deadliest disease. According to doctors and consultants in oncology at the Lagos University teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, prevention, early medical intervention and treatment remain the best ways to handle the disease.

    Seizing the opportunity of this year’s World Cancer Day, the experts in cancer care and management, visited a church and a mosque to create awareness on the disease. According to them, as professionals, they are concerned about creating awareness on the disease- tips on prevention, treatment options, management and hospice care to forestall late reporting of patients with advanced cancer cases to the hospital.

    Consultant Radiation/ Oncologist and Nuclear Physician, LUTH, Dr. Ololade Kehinde said the Department of Radiation/Oncology LUTH is making serious efforts to  end the high rate of mortality associated with cancer in Nigeria. This is why it has  chosen  Asardudeen Central Mosque and Ikoyi Baptist Church both in Surulere area of Lagos to carry out the sensitisation, because of the physical role the religious organisations play in awareness and in the treatment of citizens.

    He said there is a need for Nigerians to examine/screen themselves for Cancer because many patients attribute high cost of treatment and the nation’s poor economy to why they report late. This late presentation leaves the patient to having little or no hope of survival.

    Dr Kehinde said although this year’s theme for World Cancer Day is: We can, I Can, there is no respite in view for cancer. The aim is to individually and collectively fight and reduce cancer. Everything about cancer treatment is extremely expensive. Drugs  cost as much as N300, 000, while chemotherapy or radiotherapy goes for N100, 000 or more, which obviously cannot be afforded by the common man.

    Dr Kehinde added that the increasing death rate of cancer patients in Nigeria is largely connected with poor infrastructure as he explained that currently, there is no comprehensive cancer centre, therefore patients are compelled to seek treatment in more than one hospital or simply travel abroad. Most of the cancer treatment machines have broken down and even the ones that are working are not performing optimally.

    Kehinde disclosed that there are only two functional linear accelerator machines in the country meant to serve over 165million people and that if government can provide one functional linear accelerator for each state, patients will not have to travel from Lagos to Abuja or Ibadan, “This would reduce the cost of treatment,” he added.

    Oncology doctors are usually overwhelmed due to the increasing numbers of patients and the few hands available to care for them.

    Addressing the need for more Oncology doctors, Kehinde said this would reduce human error and doctor being irritable after overworking. “Cancer patients are afraid and need a lot of empathy, which the few hands available cannot provide”, he added.

    On the need for creating more awareness, the Clinical Oncologist said that many people ignore some obvious signs of malignancy and probably think that it does not matter, they rather attribute the signs to something else and might not seek prompt medical attention.

    “These signs include post menopausal bleeding, blood discharge after sexual intercourse, irregularity in the breast shape, or anything at all that is abnormal should be reported to the hospital,” he noted.

    Kehinde said that LUTH is taking this year’s cancer campaign to the religious centres. “We would go to the mosque on Fridays and church on Sundays to inform and encourage the congregation on what signs to watch for.

    “It is observed that many religious people hide under the name of their religion to abscond from seeking medical help, even when the cancer is malignant. We want to change this orientation and also encourage the religious leaders to support the fight against cancer,” he added.

    He urged people to get screened regularly, and government should put their words to actions to cushion the high rate of cancer care in Nigeria.

    On how equipped is LUTH to tackle cancer in Nigeria, he said we still suffer from infrastructural deficit, in terms of equipment, but manpower, we are getting there, we actually have trained professionals, that currently go all over the world to learn how to handle malignances, however we still have dearth of equipment especially in radiotherapy, ‘’but I was informed that the Sovereign Wealth Fund is trying to fund some Cancer centres to ensure they have new facilities and it is ongoing as we speak,” he summed up.

    Another expert in the department, a resident doctor, Dr Kemi Alegi, said the commonest Cancer among females is the breast cancer and in men is prostate cancer.

    She said the easiest way to detect breast cancer is breast self-examination (BSE), and for male Digital rectal exam (DRE) or Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. During a DRE, your doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to examine your prostate, which is adjacent to the rectum.  Those that are above 40 years are advised to go for these screenings.

    “Females should check themselves, they must inspect if there is any swelling that is not part of their body, and they must immediately seek medical attention on detection of lump, emission of fluid or pain in any of the breasts to the armpits. The major problem with cancer detection is the problem of stigmatisation. We hope that as we do this awareness, some of them come back to us.”

    Dr. Alegi said the essence of the day’s activity was to move from the level of high mortality rate to the level of low mortality rate, to move people from mortality to survival, “we want more people to live; the only way we can do this is to detect cancer early. Everybody should check their body regularly, if you notice anything strange, a new lump, coloration or you notice blood, in your nose, blood in your urine, seek help immediately, go to the hospital. If you notice a lump on the breast or any part of the body, kindly go to the hospital immediately. You have a scar and you notice the scar changes colour kindly seek medical attention. Cancer is treatable; cancer is curable as long as you come early,” she explained.

    On what she feel is the major challenge in the treatment and management of cancer in Nigeria, she said the major challenge is superstitious beliefs, everybody believes it is an evil arrow, they come to hospitals when they have gone to prayer houses, babalawo and all sorts of places, they don’t come to the hospital until it enters stage four, it is one major challenge in Nigeria. Second is financing because we do not have Universal Health Coverage- no money to do the basic test which costs about N40, 000 while the minimum wage is N18, 000. So, paying out of the pocket is another major challenge. We need NGOs, we need good willing Nigerians to partner with the department, and you can come to our department, whatever you can do even if it is N2, 000.

    She noted that as a nation Nigeria is making progress, the Minister for Health is interested in Cancer Care, just October last year, a brand new machine was launched in the National Hospital Abuja, for the treatment of Cancer, we have a long way to go anyway, according to WHO we need 142 machines, but in the country we have eight machines; we still have a long way to go, individuals can bring in the machines but government is doing a lot to bring in new machine to replace old ones and build new centres to have new machines as well.

     

     

  • ‘Cancer is preventable’

    ‘Cancer is preventable’

    OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes on how lifestyle choices, such as what we eat and how active we are, can reduce our cancer risk.

    Getting to and staying at a healthy weight is important to reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of several cancers, including those of the breast (in women past menopause), colon and rectum, endometrium (the lining of the uterus), esophagus, pancreas, and kidney, among others.

    A traditional practitioner, Dr Segun Fahuwa of Mister Guarantee Tradomedical Centre, Surulere, Lagos explained the above, adding that being overweight can increase cancer risk in many ways.

    He said one of the ways is that excess weight causes the body to produce and circulate more estrogen and insulin, hormones that can stimulate cancer growth. Shedding light on this, Dr Fahuwa popularly called ‘Mister Guarantee’ explained that one of the best ways to know if you have a healthy weight is to check your Body Mass Index (BMI), a score based on the relationship between your height and weight.

    “To reduce cancer risk, most people need to keep their BMIs below 25. It is good to ask your doctor what your BMI number means and what action, if any, you should take. If you are trying to control your weight, a good first step is to watch portion sizes, especially of foods high in calories, fat, and added sugars. Also try to limit your intake of high-calorie foods and drinks. Try writing down what and how much you eat and drink for a week, then see where you can cut down on portion sizes, cut back on some not-so-healthy foods and drinks, or both. For those who are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start,” he explained.

    Dr Fahuwa described cancer as having abnormal cells division in an uncontrolled way. “Some cancers may eventually spread into other tissues. There are more than 200 different types of cancer. Some cancers may eventually spread into other tissues. There are more than 200 different types of cancer. Many cancers form solid tumors, which are masses of tissue. Cancers of the blood, such as leukemia, generally do not form solid tumors.” he clarified.

    And if one is already down with cancer, Dr Fahuwa said he has a traditional way out. According to him, many cancer patients have been helped out by using the preparation. “Cancer is a terrible disease. I have so many people who have been cured by using this herbal preparation. It is not for sale but for treatment, or administration.

    “Nobody with cancer can come under this treatment and not be out of the woods because the basic ingredients are herbal plants sourced in Nigeria, which was passed down to me by my father, and which I researched and improved on. There is a guarantee on its holistic healing.”

    Shedding more light on the roles of weight in cancer prevention; Dr Fahuwa said maintaining a healthy weight might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. “Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own might lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better,” he suggested.

    According to a source-  www.mayoclinic.org although making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can’t guarantee cancer prevention, it might help reduce your risk. Consider these guidelines:

    Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.

    Avoid obesity. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-calorie foods, including refined sugars and fat from animal sources.

    If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you’ve been drinking regularly.

    Limit processed meats. A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organisation, concluded that eating large amounts of processed meat can slightly increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

     

    Protect yourself from the sun

     

    Skin cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer — and one of the most preventable. Try these tips:

    Avoid midday sun. Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest.

    Stay in the shade. When you’re outdoors, stay in the shade as much as possible. Sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat help, too.

    Cover exposed areas. Wear tightly woven, loose fitting clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible. Opt for bright or dark colours, which reflect more ultraviolet radiation than pastels or bleached cotton.

    Don’t skimp on sunscreen. Use generous amounts of sunscreen when you’re outdoors, and reapply often.

    Avoid tanning beds and sunlamps. These are just as damaging as natural sunlight.

     

    Get immunised

     

    Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Talk to your doctor about immunisation against:

    Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for certain high-risk adults — such as adults who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, people with sexually transmitted infections, intravenous drug users, men who have sex with men, and healthcare or public safety workers who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids.

    Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. The HPV vaccine is recommended for girls and boys ages 11 and 12. It is also available to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as adolescents.

     

    Avoid risky behaviours

     

    Another effective cancer prevention tactic is to avoid risky behaviours that can lead to infections that, in turn, might increase the risk of cancer. For example:

    Practice safe sex. Limit your number of sexual partners, and use a condom when you have sex. The more sexual partners you have in your lifetime, the more likely you are to contract a sexually transmitted infection — such as HIV or HPV. People who have HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of cancer of the anus, liver and lung. HPV is most often associated with cervical cancer, but it might also increase the risk of cancer of the anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina.

    Don’t share needles. Sharing needles with an infected drug user can lead to HIV, as well as hepatitis B and hepatitis C — which can increase the risk of liver cancer. If you’re concerned about drug abuse or addiction, seek professional help.

     

     Get regular medical care

     

    Regular self-exams and screenings for various types of cancers — such as cancer of the skin, colon, cervix and breast — can increase your chances of discovering cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. Ask your doctor about the best cancer screening schedule for you.

    Take cancer prevention into your own hands, starting today. The rewards will last a lifetime.