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Tag: cancer

  • How to avoid cancer, by expert

    How to avoid cancer, by expert

    The Chief Medical Director, Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa, Dr Olumide Akadiri, has called on Nigerians to ensure healthy living as a way of life to prevent cancer.

    Akadiri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Okitipupa yesterday that Nigerians should also engage in early morning exercise.

    He said that the exercise would strengthen their health.

    The World Cancer Day is marked globally on February 4 each year.

    Akadiri said cancer was a deadly disease which should not be treated with levity as its early detection saved lives.

    The medical expert identified unhealthy living, imbalanced diet, high consumption of alcohol, cigarette, tobacco and junks as possible causes of cancer.

    According to him, thickening or lump in the testicles and breasts, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, unusual bleeding or discharge, change in bowel or bladder habits and sore that does not heal are symptoms of cancer.

    “Healthy living, balanced diet and early morning exercise like jogging, trekking or walking some distance will increase body metabolism and help fight against cancer.

    “People should guard against high consumption of alcohol, tobacco, cigarette and junks, which are some of the causes of cancer,’’ Akadiri said.

     

     

     

  • ‘Cancer is curable’

    • NGO fetes survivors, cancer patients

    Is cancer a death sentence? No. That was the firm and reassuring  answer by a foremost oncologist, Prof Remi Ajekigbe at the end of the year party, organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), ‘Let’s kill it’ Cancer Foundation.

    The event was to support in cash and kind cancer patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and their caregivers. It was themed: “Hope For Cancer?”.

    According to Prof Ajekigbe, a former Head of Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy at LUTH, there are cancer survivors with over 30 years experience. The only watchword, he said, is “its malignancy prevention through early detection, prompt and early treatment”.

    To him, individual and the government have huge role to play by ensuring that cancer do not claim further lives. They are to “ensure that females carry out self breast examinations monthly, and report to the hospital if there is detection of any lump”. “Likewise, the government should provide all necessary medical facilities for screening and early detection and provide treatment facilities through allocation of oil block and going into public-private-partnership (PPP),”he said.

    Ajekigbe explained that PPP will not pay for chemotherapy because it’s so expensive. “At Abuja, Radiotherapy is N600,000 for radical treatment and N250,000 for palliative treatment. But an oil block will provide for the outright payment or subsidised payment of this,”he added..

    He called attention to a fact that not only women can have cancer, enlightening that both genders should examine and report any thickening in tissue, especially the breast, lip or tongue.

    “Any irregular bleeding, or blood-tinged discharge from any body orifice (opening) like the vagina, anus, nostrils, mouth , nipple or any sore that does not heal are all suspects that must be reported and investigated at the hospital,” he explained.

    He emphasised breast screening as the best way to checkmate breast cancer, which can be either by BSE, ultrasonography, mammography (after age 40), recommending a general cancer screening from age 50 once a year.

    The government, he said, should ensure that all facilities across the country function optimally because early detection leads to early effective treatment.

    “Functional facilities should be available in the nook and crannies of our country. Coupled with provision of man-power for all the centres in all treatment centres, in all the states of the federation. Making treatment available and affordable for every cancer patient is achievable,” he added.

    The founder of the NGO, Mrs Tinu Sanusi, who is a breast cancer survivor, decried the deplorable condition of cancer care centres and said though there are professionals who can treat cancer patients, the deplorable conditions most of them operate defeat effective treatment.

    Mrs Sanusi desired that the nation’s health care delivery could improve and move out of its present abysmal state. “I need the government to do something about our health sector. It is very poor. I never knew I was going to stay in Nigeria for my treatment, but somehow I got stuck in Nigeria. I could not get a visa, that was how I ended up doing my treatment here. It opened my eyes to all the ills in the health sector.

    “The government needs to support the health sector. We, as NGOs, cannot do it alone. We also cannot just be creating awareness, we need to do something about the issue at hand. If the health sector is not improved, not only cancer, the country would be in so much trouble,”she warned.

    On what inspired her to start the foundation, she said: “This foundation started last year. It is exactly a year after my treatment. I am a survivor. I decided to give back to God in my own little way, but in so doing, I found out that it was more of a foundation than just giving out. When I finished my treatment I started blogging, I went online and told everybody what happened to me and before I knew it, many volunteers came on board.”

    She said most Nigerians live in denial and are scared to get screened. She encouraged everyone to get screened. “Cancer is a not a respecter of anyone. Everyone has cancer cells in them, but when you get tested you can know what is happening to yourself and arrest it immediately, as there is hope for cancer patients if discovered and treated early,”she said.

    The NGO helped five cancer patients with drugs to the tune of N100,000 each, while 50 others were given gift of 10kg bag of rice and semovita.

    The five recipients are: Elizabeth Ogunyemi, Unwanna Udoh, Ojediran  Olayinka, Kemi Binuyo and Eze Josephine. Those who got  gifts included: Temitayo Olutoye, Abimbola Ashafa, Abimbola Akintoye, Yewande Adekunle, Ayoade Adewale and Omolola Williams. Participants were also rewarded with a 10kg bag of rice, semovita and drugs including Jobelyn, for their attendance.

    Mrs Sanusi thanked major sponsors of the event such as Dressence, Bet9ja, Fly for Value and Jobelyn.

  • Hope for cancer patients

    Hope for cancer patients

    Can nature treat cancer? Yes, say cancer patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos.

    They spoke at the seminar tagged: ‘Let’s kill it! organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Atinuke Cancer Foundation.

    Despite that some of the patients looked frail, were on the wheelchair, they were bound by one thing – cancer, which they are determined to eradicate.

    Sitting under the well-decorated tent in front of the Oncology and Radiology Department of LUTH, some of the survivors praised an herbal supplement – Jobelyn – for providing succour for them.

    A survivor, Mrs Atinuke Lawal, the NGO’s founder, said Jobelyn stabilises cancer patients’ haematocrit which is why it is recommended for treating and managing cancer.

    She said: “I can recommend the drug to anybody living with cancer or a survivor. I put up this event, and dedicated a day out of the three days, to ensure that people receiving treatment, have adequate information about what worked for me, and others. I intend to let them know this message across our target audience, especially in Lagos,  through the media -TV, Radio, newspaper and the new media – that cancer can be overcome. I will extend the NGO’s frontiers to the rest of the world.”

    Mrs Atinuke urged the government  to assist in the research and development of traditional herbal plants that can treat diseases, especially terminal diseases, such as cancer.

    Another parent who does not want her name in print said narrated her experience with cancer treatment at the hospital. “Though it is expensive, we are getting results. When some of the machines broke down, Jobelyn and other drugs stabilised my relative who would have easily relapsed and turned to a bad condition. It was introduced to us by word of mouth by other patients and we did not regret using it.”

    Health Forever Products (HFP) CEO, Otunba Olajuwon Okubena, the brain behind the product, said the journey  started about 22 years ago through his discovery of the herb now developed and packaged as Jobelyn.

    According to him, his company has spent the last 20 years researching and have a reached a milestone that could not be ignored in its quest to prove that an African traditional medicinal product has some measure of scientific evidence to support its claim for the treatment and cure of cancer.

    Otunba Okubena said several in vitro and in vivo studies had been done with Jobelyn and the results have been published in peer-review journals. “Natural Immune System (NIS) Laboratory in the US discovered that Jobelyn activates several chemokines and cytokines as well as the natural killer cells which are responsible for destroying cancer cells naturally.

    “We have published the results of our latest research with the title: ‘Newly isolated compounds from West African Sorghum bicolor leaf sheaths Jobelyn® show potential in cancer immunosurveillance’. The full article could be accessed at: http://nobleresearch.org/Doi/10.14312/2052-4994.2016-6”.

    He lamented that Health Forever Product does not have the financial capacity to develop the product to an international standard.

    Otunba Okubena is, however, optimistic that the product could be a break-through for Nigeria in its contribution to cancer cure and enable it to have large share in the multi-billion-dollar cancer drug market.

    He added that a clinical study at a teaching hospital confirmed that breast cancer patients who were placed on Jobelyn maintained their blood levels before, during and after chemotherapy administration.

    Foremost Professor of Radiation Therapy and Oncology, Francis Abayomi Durosinmi-Etti, confirmed that natural medicine requires attention as it could provide a solution to cancer. He believes that the cure for cancer could be nearer to us or could be in our environment but we are not focused on this.

    Prof Durosinmi-Etti praised the presentation by Otunba Okubena, adding that the time had come for us to look inwards for a solution to cancer.

    Present at the event was the former head of department (HOD), Prof Remi Ajekigbe and Dr Muhammad Habeeb, Radiotherapy and Oncology HOD.

  • Rise in cancer cases

    Rise in cancer cases

    •Governments have to focus more on how to fight the scourge than merely churning out statistics 

    The Federal Ministry of Health in a release of health statistics confirmed that 250,000 new cancer cases are recorded annually in the country. The country already has over two million people diagnosed with cancer. The rise in number of patients calls for robust intervention from the government.

    Incidentally,we observed, on this page about four months ago the poor medical facilities for cancer treatment and prevention: “Nigerians diagnosed with cancer are in serious danger, as all the radiation treatment machines are out of use in various parts of the country. Out of the eight radiotherapy machines procured by the Federal Government over 10 years ago and distributed to seven states and the FCT, none is functioning at present…. Most cancer patients cannot afford to patronise private hospitals because of prohibitive cost of such hospitals. The few government hospitals that would have been available to such patients are now unable to treat people in dire need of immediate medical attention.”

    Despite the lack of adequate facilities to treat existing cancer cases; 250,000 additional cases annually is bound to call for more serious commitment of funds to cancer treatment and prevention, more so when there is no assurance that the problems raised in an earlier editorial about lack of medical equipment to treat cancer had been adequately addressed. Therefore, the new Intervention Fund announced in Akure by the Federal Minister of Health, though long overdue, is welcome.

    It is remarkable that the Federal Ministry of Health is constantly giving citizens more information about health statistics than previous governments. But what is the significance of such facts and figures without any concrete effort by governments at all levels to provide the right condition needed to solve the problem? Admittedly, the country has had various challenges in recent times: Ebola, Lassa Fever, Monkey Pox, etc., to which the government has reacted with concern. But the health of millions of Nigerians deserves serious strategic intervention that goes beyond periodic release of health statistics. As reassuring as good plans of action are, such actions need to become in good time deliverables that can improve the condition of citizens with cancer.

    For example, the health minister said in relation to the government’s new Health Intervention Project: “In total, we plan to screen 250,000 eligible poor Nigerians who hitherto could not pay for these services. May I appeal to private sector players, including foundations, to support the Federal Government in her quest to screen Nigerians for cancers by collaborating with us? We are open to suggestions and advice to making this effort sustainable.”

    We believe that there is no need to re-invent the wheel about how to address the country’s mounting health problems, especially with respect to cancer. Most of our political leaders travel abroad often enough to see what other governments do to improve and sustain the health of their citizens. Other countries provide well-equipped cancer centres; establish cancer research centres; and provide comprehensive health insurance schemes to alleviate the financial burden of preventing and treating cancer. Throwing N300 million at about 30 federal medical facilities to fight cancer may sound significant but this is not likely to go far enough, given that the average cost of one Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is about N20 million. While allocation of 8% of over N8 trillion budget to the health sector remains a concern, given the poor state of health care in the country, we call for reprioritisation of the Health Intervention Project. It is more logical to have at least six well-equipped Cancer Centres across the six geopolitical regions than to give an average of N300 million to over 30 federal medical institutions.

    It is remarkable that the Federal Government’s Health Intervention Project includes revitalising 774 primary health centres across the country. But cancer is a tertiary issue and is bound to be more capital and labour-intensive. We therefore appeal to the government to step up to the plate accordingly. While commending the health ministry for giving more attention to health statistics, we urge the federal and state governments to take concrete steps to address the problem of caring for over two million cancer patients ,and early screening for breast, cervical, and prostate cancer.

  • Turai Yar’Adua’s N10b Abuja cancer centre abandoned

    Pesidents of Abuja have called for a revamp of the cancer centre project that was championed by former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s wife Turai for health delivery to the vulnerable in the country.

    On July 18, 2009, she assembled the Nigerian rich and government contractors to a fundraising in Abuja, which was also attended by her usually taciturn husband, who was battling some complicated diseases at the time.

    Financial pledges made by the galaxy of guests to actualise her dream amounted to N6.8 billion.

    The International Cancer Centre, (ICC) Abuja was born.

    But since then, apart from the imposing structure on the Umaru Yar’Adua Express Road, the project is now virtually abandoned, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN).

    One of the security guards at the ICC, who simply identified himself as Garba confirmed the abandonment.

    He said there had been no activities to actualise the centre, as envisioned by Turai Yar’Adua.

    According to him, Turai came two times in 2016 to the site. She had not been seen around the area since then.

    “We have not seen her this year, but some people often come around to see the progress of the place,” he said.

    Garba said some bandits invaded the ICC last year to disposess them of their valuables, adding that few items belonging to the centre were also stolen..

    He added that some policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had since been deployed to secure the ICC against further attacks.

    “Six of us were employed to secure this place and we do alternate, but because the bandits were fully armed, they overpowered us and beat the security guards.

    The desolate centre was more palpable at a park for scores of tricycles meant to be conveying patients. Weeds have swamped the tricycles.

    Worried by the delay in completing the ICC, one the residents of Abuja, Mr. Gabriel Oluwabunmi, berated those responsible for the abandoned project, adding that such noble idea that could bring relief to the masses, should have been completed without the usual hiccup.

    He called on the authorities to ensure that the project was resuscitated, adding that such cancer centre would help bring succour to those ravaged by the disease and especially those who could not afford to be flown abroad.

    Miss Ngozi Chukwuma, whose relative is suffering from the cancer, called on the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the centre to enable Nigerians who could not afford overseas treatment to patronise it.

    She said such project would go a long way in assuaging the feeling of Nigerians who could not afford the treatment as a result of heavy monetary demand.

    Mrs. Yar’adua had in her speech during the launch of the centre said the whole idea of establishing the cancer centre was conceived out of her desire to contribute her quota to achieving standard healthcare delivery for the vulnerable.

    According to her, the centre would specifically render services to women and children, especially the rural and urban poor.

    When NAN visited the National Hospital Abuja, which is offering an alternative treatment to cancer patients, the staff appeared so overwhelmed with the huge number of cancer patients.

    A cancer patient who craved anonymity called on the Federal Government to assist in revamping the centre, adding that this would go a long way in decongesting the national hospital from cancer patients with special attention.

    Mr. Mohammed Lawal, an Abuja based businessman, called on the government not to abandon the centre, adding that though it was a private initiative; the government could also intervene to revamp it.

    The ICC, according to its promoter, was meant to focus on four types of cancer that account for most deaths in Nigeria: cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and throat cancer.

  • Beating Breast Cancer in Bangladesh

    Beating Breast Cancer in Bangladesh

    By Sadi Mohammad Shahnewaz for The Daily Star

    Clutching her baby, breast cancer survivor Basanti Majumder speaks of a pain in her left breast and fears her cancer may have returned. She stares briefly at the floor and giggles nervously. “I’m not going to the doctor now for financial reasons,” she says.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates approximately 1.38 million new breast cancer cases each year, resulting in 458,000 deaths annually.

    Unsurprisingly, mortality rates are much higher in the developing world where women often only seek medical assistance and diagnosis in the late stages—unaware of what is wrong and reluctant to shell out on medical costs. In Bangladesh, poor access to medical facilities, stigmatisation and a lack of knowledge about the disease mean that a mere 11 percent of Bangladeshi women receive diagnosis in the early stages.Cancer

    Like in much of the world, breast cancer is the most common cancer amongst Bangladesh’s female population, with 32.8 percent of female cancer patients suffering from this strain of the disease. The nation’s public medical services—overstretched and underfunded—simply cannot provide the care required by breast cancer sufferers.

    Yet encouragingly, one organisation has taken up the plight of these suffering women. Active since 2007, Amader Gram Breast Care e-Health Centre aims to provide expert medical assistance to any woman, regardless of her economic or social situation. Having originally set up in the Khulna region of Bangladesh, the organisation now boasts one other centre in the sub-district of Rampal in the Bagerhat region, as well as a small coordination office in Dhaka.

    Reza Salim, founder and director of the organisation, started off working in ICT as a government communication consultant. “I have worked primarily in ICT, and never initially planned to work on cancer,” he explains. Yet whilst working on computer literacy programmes in rural communities, Salim and his team were alarmed at the vast number of women turning up at the centre complaining of chest pains. “We also started taking small initiatives to help our localisation on the aspect of non-communicable diseases, as we realised that it was highly neglected and unattended,” says Salim.

    And now in 2017, ten years after Salim created Amader Gram Breast e-Health Centre and staffed with 13 dedicated medical employees, the organisation receives anywhere between 90 to 150 new patients with breast-related health issues a month. In 2016, the organisation treated 1,968 woman and followed up with 426 of them. Salim is keen that women undergoing treatment at the centre receive all the required care in the same place—something that is a rarity in state run hospitals where patients are sent traipsing from one pricey medical centre to another.

    “A big step towards treating cancer is to actually know about the prevalence of the disease and take action accordingly,” says Salim. In this conservative nation, little is known about breast cancer and women are reluctant to come forward and discuss any health concerns they may have. In order to overcome such obstacles Salim has several female physicians at the centres to help female patients feel more at ease.

    Aware of the economic hardship many of the patients live, Amader Gram Breast Care e-Health Centre’s prices are adapted to their patients economic situation. A diagnostic biopsy costs Tk 12,000 (US$ 143) and a chemotherapy session around Tk 1,000 (US$ 12). The organisation even provides all breast cancer patients with a free mobile phone so that they can liaise with medics throughout their treatment.

    Breast cancer survivor Mahmunda believes that she owes her life to the organisation. “When I first started noticing lumps around my breasts, I started taking homeopathic medicine. When more of them appeared, I came to this facility where Mozammel sir [a surgeon at the Khulna campus] redirected me to the correct treatment. Now, by grace of God, I am doing fine.”

    Keen to put a range of pedagogical tools at the disposal of patients and their families, the organisation has also drawn up a series of guidelines for effective palliative care for those women who arrive at the centre too late and for whom the outcome is not so positive.

    The team has even created an app called “AG Palliative Care” to help family members in remote areas best prepare for their loved ones’ last few moments. The app uses a short questionnaire in which patients or their loved ones can report symptoms. The information is then sent over to a centralised computer system and read over by a doctor who then suggests the best course of action for patients.

    Looking towards the future the organisation intends to expand its services across the entirety of Bangladesh, hoping to save and educate as many women as possible. For the time being it is clear that Amader Gram Breast e-Health Centre has proven an exemplary stepping stone in providing breast cancer treatment to some of the countries most vulnerable women.

    http://agbreastcare.org/

  • HEN Foundation screens 393 women for Cervical, Breast Cancer

    HEN Foundation screens 393 women for Cervical, Breast Cancer

    Three hundred and ninety three women have been screened for cervical and breast cancer during the recent HEN Foundation, U.K Cancer screening held in Lagos.

    The screening was held at the Akerele Primary Healthcare Centre, Surulere on October 26th -28th, 2017.

    Five advance cases were referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital ( LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the  Cancer Research Centre, Ibadan, for follow-up and treatment.

     

    Highlights of the three-day programme included the welcome address by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, welcome address and presentation of profile of founder, HEN Foundation and its activities by Prof Ademola Dasylva-Senior Education Adviser HEN Foundation and Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan.

    This was followed by donations to University of Ibadan Cancer Research Centre, and Akerele Primary Healthcare Centre. The donation was made by the President, HEN Foundation through the Foundation’s Senior Education Adviser, Prof. Ademola Dasylva

    An Awards presentation from HEN Foundation was made by Mr. David Smith, Chairman, British African Business Alliance to Hon Femi Gbajabiamila in recognition of his commitment and contribution to primary healthcare matters, and for sustaining screening exercise.

    Other dignitaries present at the events were Chief Bimbo Afolayan, Executive Director NDDIS UK, Mr Toibudeen Oduniyi CEO Cyborg UK, Mr Wilson Balogun, Head of Oil and Gas NDDIS, Prince Ubani British Nigerian Business Network and friends of HEN Foundation from UK.

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  • Lagos seeks support to tackle cancer, HIV/AIDS

    THE Lagos State Government has identified the need to explore the private sector involvement in its drive to increase public awareness of cancer, HIV/AIDS to further stem the spread of these diseases. The Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said that there is need for the Private sector and NonGovernmental Organizations to continually support and partner with government in the area of research and public education of these common diseases in the society.

    Speaking at an awareness outreach on Breast, Cervical Cancer Screening and HIV Testing and Counseling for Youth in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area of the State, AkinbileYussuf added that the obligation of raising awareness about the potential killer diseases should be collectively pursued and not to be left to government alone. She lamented that presently, there are no sufficient awareness and knowledge on the causes of breast cancer among young people, stressing that the level of awareness about the signs to look out for when undergoing breast cancer examination should be improved upon.

  • Cancer of the ovary: Avoiding the shadow of death

    Among all cancers afflicting women, ovarian cancer is a cancer that is most damaging and self-hiding until very late when little intervention is what is left to help the patient. That is to say, ovarian cancer, is not so easily detectable until very late when available treatment may not be so helpful.

    Let us discuss the risk factors for ovarian cancer:

    If you have a family history of ovarian, breast or pancreatic cancer in a woman, you may be carrying some risks of developing any of the above cancers. If you are a man, and your parents or very close relatives have a history of breast cancer, prostate cancer or pancreatic cancer, then you should be aware that your daughters are at risk of both ovarian and breast cancers. Therefore, your genetic make-up that you got from your parents matters a lot in either exposing you or your children to cancer or not.

    Patient’s previous use of hormones such as progesterone and estrogen carry some risks in development of ovarian cancer.

    Similarly, women that had early puberty (early entry into age of reproduction) experiences and also had late menopause (end of reproductive age) are at higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. This is because such women have had a longer exposure to estrogen.

    Women should be aware that use of talcum powder on the vulva, vagina and surrounding areas may be associated with increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Just as discussed under endometrial cancer last week, women that had no children or have no pregnancies that cut off menstrual periods and ovulation for a while, stand a risk of ovarian cancer. Thus, women who uses family planning method such as oral contraceptive pills which prevent ovulation have the added benefit of having a lesser risk of ovarian cancer.

    Meanwhile, in general, ovarian cancer is commonly, not really a cancer of the young people. That is to say that, ovarian cancer often develops in women who are 60 years and above. Nonetheless, women under sixty even as low as fifteen years old, can suffer ovarian cancer depending on individual circumstances.

    How then do you know that you have an Ovarian Cancer?

    There are some symptoms or features that point towards ovarian cancer in a person. As I pointed out earlier, ovarian cancer may not so much reveal itself. In early stage, the sufferer may feel noting and notice nothing. Later on, the victim may notice that her tummy or abdomen is welling up or there is a growth there. Bloating; abdominal distention or discomfort, pressure effects on the bladder and rectum, constipation, vaginal bleeding, indigestion and acid reflux, shortness of breath, tiredness, weight loss, early fullness when eating are some of the things that sufferers may feel.

    In late stage, symptoms associated with cancer of the ovary include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. In some, presentation with swelling of a leg due to venous thrombosis is not uncommon.

    What can you do? Prevention.  In general, we should all take our health seriously. With that caution, any change in our usual habits, appearance or alteration in bodily function calls for immediate medical checkup.  That said, in keeping with the risk factors which I discussed before, women should take serious steps in protecting their health: to have scheduled screening on regular basis. This may be yearly. Have a mapping of your genetic make up to determine if you are susceptible to cancer of the ovary and breast.  Desist from the use of talcum powder.

    If and when you have completed your family, consider the use of family planning methods that may prevent ovulation and menstrual periods.

    Treatment of Ovarian Cancer. This forum is not the platform to discuss the full details of treatment of ovarian cancer. Suffice to say that presenting yourself early for clinical assessment is paramount. Investigations may include blood tests such as CA 125, ultrasound scanning, CTscan or MRI scan. Other supporting tests may also be ordered by the doctor.

    Surgery may be combined with chemotherapy as the definitive treatment. Survival rate following good treatment is fair but in general low if the patient presents in late stage of the disease.

    In concluding this series, we looked at the common cancers that peculiarly afflicts women. These are cancers of the breast, cervix, endometrium and ovary. As in all diseases, prevention is better than cure which we should take good note of. Vigilance is also the key. While there are steps such as vaccination, change of life style, regular medical checks that we can done to help us prevent cancer, in the end, vigilance is required and seeking a quick medical intervention may save our life. If you are in need of assistance, do contact your local medical doctor or call the helpline listed above if you have no doctor of your own.

     

  • ‘250,000 Nigerian women die of cancer annually’

    About 250,000 women die of cancer annually in Nigeria, wife of Kebbi State Governor, Dr Zainab Bagudu, stated yesterday.

    She said this during a walk to create awareness on cancer in Abuja with the theme: “Walk away Cancer’’.

    According to her, the walk was to create awareness and save 250 women who die from cancer annually.

    Bangudu noted that 95 per cent of women who have cancer in developed societies have five years of survival, saying that Nigeria has only five per cent survival rate.

    She said that this year’s event was using football as a tool to mobilise and create awareness, adding that “cancer is a global epidemic but it is worse in Africa’’.

    She stressed the need for every hand to be on the deck to remedy the situation.

    “Health care facilities in Nigeria are poor and weak and there is no effective screening system in place.

    “We at MedicAid Cancer Foundation are reaching out for the low and poor people, and to improve awareness and as well disabuse the minds of people about cultural and traditional beliefs that cancer is caused by witchcraft.

    “We also bring people together to raise funds so as to help the poor and the ignorant women of Nigeria who are dying from cancer yearly.

    “Early screening of the breast and cervical for cancer will help to effectively detect and treat it,” she said.

    A cancer survivor, Folake Olabisi, said that early detection was important to saving lives and therefore stressed the need for women to have routine checks.

    She admonished women with family history of cancer to always have themselves checked as well as pass on the habit to their children and future generations.

    Kanu Nwankwo, a former Green Eagles player, in his words advised that the awareness be taken to the rural areas  to reach the unreached.

    He also appreciated the wife of the executive governor for the cause and pledged his support for the walk against cancer.