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Tag: cancers

  • Fed Govt steps up fight against cancers, trains specialists

    Fed Govt steps up fight against cancers, trains specialists

    The Federal Government has said it is training over 1,000 health workers in cancer-related areas.

    It said the training would close the wide gap in getting efficient workforce in the handling of cancer-related cases across the country.

    The training is organised by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), according to its Director General, Prof. Usman Aliyu.

    Speaking at the joint opening ceremony of four different trainings yesterday in Abuja, Aliyu said the training became imperative due to the country’s lack of sufficient workforce in oncology to tackle the rising cases of all forms of cancers among Nigerians.

    Aliyu said the training would add value to the skills and knowledge of oncology workforce in the country.

    The three-day training, which drew participants from the six geo-political zones of the country, included cancer immunotherapy, colorectal cancer surgery, train-the-trainer on identification of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer, and training on critical thinking and research in oncology nursing.

    Explaining the rationale behind the initiative and its expected impact, Alkali said: “Oncology is one of the evolving areas in medicine. Generally, we actually have a shortage of oncology workforce in the country.

    Read Also: Smuggling of migrants: FG adopts automated verification of travel documents

    “…Part of the mandate of NICRAT is to train and acquire enough oncology workforce for the country, vis-a-vis from surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncologist, oncology nurses, medical physicists and even the palliative care workers.

    “The importance of this is to deliver the required care; and not only the required care but the quality and timely cancer care when needed.

    “As part of our activities for the implementation of the activities from our five-year strategic plan, the institute designed to train all the oncology workers in the country.

    “This is just the beginning. We intend to continue training and retraining until the country has enough, as promised by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government. So, that is why we are having these very important trainings.

    “Since its inception in early 2023, NICRAT has initiated various strategies aimed at reducing the burden of all forms of cancers in Nigeria.

    “One of such strategies is organising training and retraining for healthcare workers on various aspects of cancer care, prevention, treatment and control.

    “The most recent is the training of healthcare workers at primary and secondary facilities on the early detection and management of chronic Hepatitis B and C and Liver cancer across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states, which ended yesterday.

    “Also, a few months ago, NICRAT dispatched experts across to the six geo-political zones to conduct three important trainings. One is the training of Biomedical Engineers and Medical Physicists; two: training in psycho-oncology for healthcare workers at the tertiary healthcare level; and three: training in cervical cancer screening and referral for primary and secondary healthcare workers.

    “Over 1,000 healthcare workers benefited from these trainings across different regions of the country.”

  • FG intensifies fight against cancers, trains specialists

    FG intensifies fight against cancers, trains specialists

    The Federal government is intensifying its effort to close the wide gap of deficiency of cancer workforce in the country with the training of over 1000 health workers in different specialties of cancer in the past few months, it emerged on Thursday.

    The training, organized by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), according to the Director General (DG) of the Institute, Prof. Usman Aliyu, becomes inevitable because the country lacks enough workforce in oncology to tackle the rising cases of all forms of cancers among Nigerians.

    Speaking at the joint opening ceremony of four different trainings in Abuja, Aliyu emphasized that the training will add value to the skills and knowledge of oncology workforce in the country.

    The 3-day training which drew participants from the six geo-political zones of the country included cancer immunotherapy, colorectal cancer surgery, train-the-trainer on identification of the signs and symptoms of childhood cancer, and training on critical thinking and research in oncology nursing.

    Explaining the rationale behind the initiative and its expected impact, the DG said: “Oncology is one of the evolving areas in medicine, generally, we have actually shortage of oncology workforce in the country.

    “And you know, part of the mandate of NICRAT is to train and acquire enough oncology workforce for the country, vis a vis from surgical oncology, medical oncology, radiation oncologist, oncology nurses, medical physicists and even the palliative care staff.

    “And the importance of this is to deliver the required care, and not only the required care but also the quality and timely cancer care when needed.

    Read Also: Why women must be conscious of cancers, by NOWA

    “As part of our activities for the implementation of the activities from our 5-year strategic plan, the Institute designed to train all the oncology workers in the country. 

    “This is just the beginning, but we intend to continue training and retraining until the country has enough as promised by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government. So that is why we are having these very important trainings.”

    “Since its inception in early 2023, NICRAT has initiated various strategies aimed at reducing the burden of all forms of cancers in Nigeria. 

    “One of such strategies is organizing training and retraining for healthcare workers on various aspects of cancer care, prevention, treatment and control. 

    “The most recent being training of healthcare workers at primary and secondary facilities on the early detection and management of chronic Hepatitis B and C and Liver cancer across Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states which ended yesterday.

    “Also, a few months ago, NICRAT dispatched experts across to the six geo-political zones to conduct three important trainings. One; is the training of Biomedical Engineers and Medical Physicists, two; training on Psycho-Oncology for healthcare workers at the tertiary healthcare level and three; training on Cervical Cancer Screening and Referral for primary and secondary healthcare workers. Over 1000 healthcare workers benefited from these trainings across different regions of the country.”

  • FG, WHO intensify fight against cancers

    FG, WHO intensify fight against cancers

    …step up cancer registry drive

    Lack of Cancer data and registries have been recognized as major factors militating against effectively combating cancer in Nigeria. 

    Previously, the country lacked an official cancer registry, hindering efforts to plan and implement policies due to fragmented and uncoordinated approaches.

    In response, the federal government, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and key stakeholders, has developed a strategic roadmap to improve cancer diagnosis and care. 

    This initiative aims to create a comprehensive, centralised system for gathering and utilizing cancer data to inform policies and enhance cancer control nationwide.

    At the stakeholders’ Impact Review Town Hall meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the Director General  (DG) of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Aliyu, highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing cancer through the establishment of NICRAT.

    He explained that the government, through NICRAT, has launched an impact review to evaluate cancer control efforts across Nigeria. 

    Led by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in collaboration with WHO and other partners, he said the review covers the entire spectrum of cancer care, from prevention and diagnosis to treatment and palliative care.

    Saying that the goal is to identify gaps and inform future strategies, Aliyu, who was represented by Prof. Musa Ali-Gombe, the Director of Clinical Services at NICRAT, noted that one key challenge is the lack of comprehensive cancer data, which NICRAT is addressing through resource mapping and strengthening cancer registries in states like Abuja and Lagos.

    Highlighting the importance of the IAEA’s Program Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) mission in assessing Nigeria’s cancer control capabilities, the DG said key gaps, including data collection and cancer resource mapping, have been identified to strengthen the country’s cancer control efforts.

    According to him, NICRAT has launched a national cancer registry and is collaborating with international and local partners on clinical trials and research. 

    Strengthening cancer registries and building local capacity for cancer care are central to NICRAT’s ongoing initiatives.

    NICRAT is also focused on research, launching a national research agenda and establishing collaborations for clinical trials, including with global institutions like the Mayo Clinic, he said.

    Read Also: Nigeria hosts global summit against cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, others

    The Abuja Town Hall Meeting, the DG posited, was aimed at gathering input from stakeholders, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), professional associations, and tertiary institutions, to discuss challenges and propose solutions for cancer control in Nigeria.

    These efforts will culminate in a report that the government can use to improve cancer care nationwide, he added.

    On his part, Prof. Adeniyi Adenipekun emphasized the need for Nigeria to own its clinical research data, urging more local funding for medical research rather than relying on external bodies that control data usage.

    He advocated for better government support, including faster approval processes for clinical trials and establishing oncology research departments in universities.

    Adenipekun also highlighted the importance of informed consent in clinical trials, ensuring patients understand the risks and benefits. He recommended increasing healthcare worker training, improving incentives, and bonding professionals to retain talent, especially in oncology research.

    Expressing his concerns over the lack of data and cancer registries, Abidemi Omonisi, vice president of the Nigeria Cancer Society (NCS) and consultant pathologist, pointed out the laxity the issue has caused in addressing cancer-related challenges.

    According to him, in Nigeria, childhood cancer is often overlooked, with the focus primarily on adult cancers like breast, cervical, and prostate cancer.

    He, however, lamented that children do suffer from cancer, as recent data shows an alarming trend, pointing to evidence from cancer registries.

    Saying that historically, Burkitt lymphoma was the most common childhood cancer in Nigeria, Omonisi said recent data from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) shows a shift, with leukemia now being more prevalent, he said.

    “In 2023 alone, LUTH’s pediatric oncology department treated over 300 childhood cancer cases,” he noted.

    To address this growing issue, he said the Nigerian government has established the country’s first population-based childhood cancer registry at LUTH, with plans to expand to other geopolitical zones.

    He also stressed the importance of early detection and genetic screening, especially for cancers that may be inherited, pointing out that environmental factors, including infections and radiation exposure, also play a role in childhood cancers.

    He called for increased attention, urging parents to prioritize antenatal care, which could help detect early signs and reduce the risk of childhood cancers in the future.

    Laura Haskins, from the IAEA, also discussed the cancer impact review requested by Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. 

    She said alongside WHO and IAEA, the review aims to assess Nigeria’s cancer control capabilities, covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. 

    The team, including international and national experts, will provide a report with evidence-based recommendations tailored to Nigeria’s needs, focusing on identifying and addressing gaps in cancer care across the country, she noted.

  • HEALTH WATCH: Scientists reveal effective way to neutralise any disease from the body, including cancers.

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  • Ogun sensitises students on breast, cervical cancers

    The Chairman of Governing Council of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Mr. Alaba Lawson, has urged female students of the institution to find out their status about breast and cervical cancers respectively.

    Mrs Lawson said raising the awareness of the two deadly cancers was an effort to consolidate on the campaign to checking cancer pandemic among young girls and mothers, adding that the institution has acquired some equipment for testing patients on cancer.,

    She spoke at the campus of the institution during a cancer campaign awareness jointly organised by the wife of Ogun State Governor, Olufunsho Amosun and the Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN).

    The campaign was led by Mrs Amosun and Iyalode Alaba Lawson.

    Addressing the participants, Mrs Amosun gave cheery news that the state government would henceforth pick medical bills of cancer patients in the state.

    Mrs Amosun also said the Senator Ibikunle Amosun -led administration has pledged to pick up the medical bills of Ogun women undergoing surgery for breast and cervical cancers.

    Amosun’s wife was concerned that cases of ýbreast and cervical cancers appeared to be on the increase, saying experts have agreed that the two are leading deadly forms of cancer.

    “Understanding how cancer spreads is of importance to humankind because if we are fortunate enough at this very moment not to be affected by the disease, we would know somebody that is affected or we could, at least, share the information because as we say, early detection is the only prevention.

    “In the past, it has broken my heart that whený we do this screening exercise and awareness walks and talks, we do come across some sisters, daughters and women in general that do have cancer and each time I walk away without taking action.

    “I go back home and I say to myself, now that I’ve told this woman that she has cancer, what am I doing to help her further? That is why this year, we are taking the campaign a step further and His Excellency, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, has agreed to pay the medical bills of women who underwent surgery on cancer,” Mrs Amosun said.

  • ‘Prostate, breast cancers are preventable, treatable’

    ‘Prostate, breast cancers are preventable, treatable’

    Are you a man and over 40? If yes, you must go for  prostate cancer screening now. Also, women, from their teen are expected to engage in self-breast examination monthly and do mammogram once a year,  to detect cancer early.

    A consultant pathologist and lecturer at the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Dr. Soyemi Sunday gave the advice at the Public Lecture/Annual Dinner by Ivory League of Progress, a social club based in Lagos.

    Soyemi said prostate cancer, or carcinoma of the prostate, is the development of cancer in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. It is the number one killer of black men.

    “Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, some grow relatively quickly. The cancer cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes. It may initially cause no symptoms, but in later stages it can lead to difficulty urinating, blood in the urine, or pain in the pelvis, back or when urinating. An ailment, benign prostatic hyperplasia, may produce similar symptoms.

    Other late symptoms may include tiredness due to low level of red blood cells,” he said.

    He listed factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer to include older age, a family history of the disease, and race.

    Soyemi said: “About 99 percent of cases occur in those over the age of 50. Having a first-degree relative with the disease increases the risk between two to third fold. But if detected early, it can be treated. Then people can live with and die with it not die from it.”

    Soyemi suggested that screening should start as ageing sets in.

    “From age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years. Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative (father, brother, or son) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65). Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age). After this discussion, those men who want to be screened should be tested with the prostate-specific antigen blood test. Digital rectal exam may also be done as a part of screening. If, after this discussion, a man is unable to decide if testing is right for him, the screening decision can be made by the health care provider, who should take into account the patient’s general health preferences and values.Assuming no prostate cancer is found as a result of screening, the time between future screenings depends on the results of the prostate-specific antigen blood test.”

    He continued: “Men who choose to be tested who have a prostate-specific antigen of less than 2.5 ng/mL may only need to be retested every two years. Screening should be done yearly for men whose PSA level is 2.5 ng/mL or higher. Because prostate cancer often grows slowly, men without symptoms of prostate cancer who do not have a 10-year life expectancy should not be offered testing since they are not likely to benefit. Overall health status, and not age alone, is important when making decisions about screening.’

    For women, Soyemi said think pink, live green should be the mantra, “Think pink, Live green is a way of living that aims to help women reduce their risk of breast cancer or the disease coming back in survivors. It’s also a way for women living with advanced disease to make the healthiest choices possible. Good healthy lifestyle including exercise is recommended.”

    Soyemi explained that the term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast. Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor.”

    He advised that though studies have found that women have a 12 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, “your individual risk may be higher or lower than that. Individual risk is affected by many different factors, such as family history, reproductive history, lifestyle, environment, and others. Self breast examination or mammogram screening is good way to be very sure in early detection.”

    The reasons? He explained, “Initially, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. A lump may be too small for you to feel or to cause any unusual changes you can notice on your own. Often, an abnormal area turns up on a screening mammogram (X-ray of the breast), which leads to further testing. In some cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft, and rounded. So it’s important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor.”

    He said any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer; swelling of all or part of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, breast pain, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward, redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, a nipple discharge other than breast milk or a lump in the underarm area.

    “These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. It’s important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor,’ he said.

  • Care, trauma and coping with childhood cancers

    THOUGH Theresa’s words flowed smoothly, a quaver in her voice signalled all was not well. How could it? Her son, was placed on admission in the children oncology ward in the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, (LUTH), Idi-Araba. Despite the cheerful artworks of the walls, the mood of the patients here is far from cheerful.

    While cancer in children comes as a rude shock to many, children are actually afflicted with the ailment. And the number of afflicted children is increasing. This deadly killer has been rampaging children and there are no signs of it stopping. February 15 has been set aside as a day to draw attention to the cause of children living with cancer.

    According to reports, about 11,630 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2013. And while statistics to determine the incidence of cancer among Nigerian children is scarce, a visit to tertiary health institutions in the country reveals that the disease is blind to ages. According to Patience Okoro, a matron who has worked in LUTH for 17 years, cancer in children is on the increase. “We used to have few cases before, but last year we had over 30 cases.”

    Also, the survival rate is still low in Nigeria where only about 10 to 20 percent cure occur compared to the 80 to 90 percent figure which obtains in other developed countries. With poverty overwhelming many victims, it is going to be tough redressing this situation. According to Dr. Ajekigbe, “there are many who can’t afford the treatment.” The solution, he says, is “either we use alternatives that are much cheaper that even we are convinced will not do the job because the body has requested for another thing. That is the truth. But having said that, some non governmental organisations (NGOs) help minimally but they are also not rich.”

    However, in Nigeria, one organisation which cares for this category of patients is the Children Living With Cancer Foundation (CLWCF), founded by Dr. Nneka Nwobbi in 2002.

    According to Dr. Nwobbi, there is also the lack of information amongst some victims’ families, thinking the disease is a result of the child’s fault. “Some of these children think it is their fault that they have cancer,” she said. “They begin to think it is punishment for something they have done.”

    No doubt, the treatment of cancer is expensive. But the cost would have been reduced if treatment were available locally. For instance, Dr. Remi Ajekigbe, Head of Radiotherapy and Oncology Department, LUTH, said that machines for treating cancer with radiation in the country are functional in three of the cancer centres: LUTH, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State and Eko Hospital, Lagos. But, he said, a situation where there is “just one functional machine for the whole hospital is not just good enough because any machine can break down.”

    Anyway, as it stands, children cannot speak out for themselves. “They need people to speak for them,” Dr. Nwobbi said.

    Alice Ada Bissong, a nurse and social worker who has worked in a number of public hospitals before retiring from the National Hospital, Abuja about four years ago, agrees that the scourge of cancer is on the increase in children. She has helped to save the lives of some people who would have died of cancer and other terminal ailments. “I was not well myself . I had recurrent umbilical hernia. I actually did surgery at the National Hospital and at a point I had obstruction and had to go to India for another surgery.”

    Luckily, her life was saved and the experience made her decide to help other people. “When I came to Lagos I discovered that there were so many cases of people affected by cancer in different ways. It then occurred to me that I could touch the lives of people who were having problems like me.”

    Bissong added that “I called Dr Milind Wagh and he had a seminar on reconstructive surgery. I brought the surgeons to Nigeria, and after that they realised that most of those people who were coming up were indigent and this gave birth to my organisation.”

    Challenges? “Getting funds to help them with the prognosis can be really bad. But then we cannot leave them to die. I have an eight-year-old boy called Hamilu from Kogi State who was born with a complicated heart condition. It degenerated to cancer and he is battling for survival at the moment. Of course, you know that we cannot leave someone who is eight years old to die. We also have 10-year-old Eze Ebube whose right hand was amputated. He is a very brilliant boy with a lot of potentials.”

    Crystal Chigbu is another woman who is passionate about helping children in this regard. “We have been able to provide prosthesis for Kelechi, a two-year-old bilateral amputee that lost both legs after a brief illness. With her prosthesis, she now stands and walks.”

    Chigbu’s daughter had cancer of the bone and the ailment opened her eyes to the trauma many parents go through. “About three years ago, I went into labour and had my child. Along the line, we found that she had a funny thing with her leg and we were referred to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu where it was detected that she had congenital absence of her tibia and patella.”

    The family made a number of medical consultations and they were given a lot of options like fusion of the tibia. “But we wanted to seek a better option or a second opinion. It is not easy to amputate your child’s leg. We even travelled abroad but everything pointed towards amputation. At a point, we just had to take a decision that was best for the child. She was in school and was the only one crawling in her class at the age of two,” she informed.

    Beulah’s leg was amputated about two years ago and she is doing very well now. “I believe that the worst kind of disability is in the mind and it is important to be positive at all times. So I am driven to share with all kids with limb loss, their families and care-givers ways to manage limb loss with the right outlook.”

    This led to the birth of the Irede Foundation (TIF) which provides prosthesis and other helpful aids to indigent children between 0-18 years. ”Our focus is on children who are living with limb loss, either congenital or acquired. We also encourage children living with limb loss to live a life of fulfillment. Over the first year of launch, our goal is to sponsor the provision of 18 prostheses to indigent families with limb loss cases. We also plan to capture 50 families in our support group.”

    The types of cancers that occur most often in children are different from those seen in adults. The most common cancers in children include leukaemia, brain and other nervous system tumours, neuroblastoma, wilms tumour, lymphoma,

    Rhabdomyo sarcoma, retinoblastoma and bone cancer. Other types of cancers are rare in children, but they do happen sometimes. In very rare cases, children may even develop cancers that are much more common in adults.