Nigerians have been advised not to be scared of cancer because it is not a death sentence. It can be overcome, according to a professor of Radiotherapy and Oncology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Aderemi Ajekigbe.
Ajekigbe spoke at the21st inaugural lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
Speaking on Cancer: The unwanted guest that may visit, the expert described the disease as a terrorist of the highest order, adding that two million Nigerians are living with it.
Besides, over 100,000 new cases are recorded yearly as everyone risks having the disease.
Ajekigbe said cancer is not new because it has always been with man.
He said diagnosis of cancer makes people jittery, adding that people should not be afraid.
The disease, in his view, causes patients unimaginable pains, adding that it is rising because of the ageing populations across the world.
“By 2020s there would be 20 million new cancer cases,”he said.
The oncologist said 75 per cent of them would live in countries that would have less than five per cent of the resources to control the disease.
Ajekigbe said infection, which was previously a major cause of suffering and death, had given way to new epidemics of non-communicable disorder, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
The cause, he said, is “unhealthy” lifestyles, adding that people need to change the way they live.
He said cancer has known and unknown causes, describing furniture makers, commercial sex workers and vulcanisers as those with high risk.
Others are smokers and those who had intercourse before 17 years.
“Also, genetically modified foods, radiation and tight underwear (pants) in men can cause the disease.
“Similarly, cancer can affect those who started menses before the age of 12 and women who never breastfed. In fact, if you are poor, you have your own type cancer, if you are rich, you also have your own type. However, early circumcision is important to avert cancer of the penis,” he said.
The oncologist said: “10 percent or about 200,000 have access to hospitals with radiotherapy facilities.
“About five per cent of this number, that is 10,000, have resources to go abroad where they pay between 10,000 to 15,000 dollars per patient for a three to five week course of radiotherapy, which translates to about 100,000,000 dollars(one hundred million dollars) per annum of foreign exchange drain. The cost of Chemotherapy is about five to 10 times more than the cost of radiotherapy.
“About 27 per cent of the two million cases are breast cancer while about 25 percent are cancer of the cervix.”
Ajekigbe said cancer from molecular biology perspectives is now recognised as a genetic disease where there are mutations in genes, inherited or acquired, result in the transition from a normal to a malignant growth pattern.
He identified cancer symptoms as any persistent lump or thickening in tissue especially the breast or lip or tongue.
Others are any irregular bleeding of blood-tinged discharged from anybody orifice (opening), such as vagina, anus, nostrils, mouth and nipples.
Others are any sore that does not heal, especially if located in the mouth, tongue or lip; persistent indigestion or loss of appetite especially in people over 40 years of age; sudden or rapid change in the form, appearance of rate of growth of a mole or a wart; getting bigger, painful or bleeding; persistent change from normal in-bowel habit and continuous hoarseness, cough, soreness of throat or difficulty in swallowing.
Ajekigbe said there is a painless dark patch on the sole of the foot or in any other part of the body.
“Urinating at night especially in men above 50 years severally at night or difficulty in passing urine and unintentional weight loss are among the symptoms.
Specifically, he said some symptoms were peculiar to breast and he enumerated them as: painless lump in the breast; discharge from the nipple (bloody or not); lump in the arm pit; skin changes in the breast; changes in the contour of the breast; nipple retraction and history of eczematous changes in the nipple, with itching, burning sensation, oozing of blood.
He said cancer can spread to almost every part of the body except their ear and teeth.
The spread of cancer, he noted, often causes cough, chest pain, blood in sputum, breathlessness, severe bone pain, inability to walk. It could also result to headache, confusion, slurred speech, loss memory, dizziness, vomiting and the ultimate price – death.
Cancer, he said, is managed by a team which consists of oncologists, radiotherapist and chemotherapists, among others.
“Experts in surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy, thermal ablation therapy, anti-angiogenic therapy, gene therapy, pain control and hospice-care are all involved in the treatment and management of the disease,”
To Ajekigbe, Nigeria is not prepared to fight the war against cancer.
He stressed that said early detection is the key to saving patients’ lives.
The oncologist said the disease dehumanises and impoverishes its sufferers.
“It makes a mockery of the bold, the brave, the rich, the powerful, the beautiful, the adored, the mighty, the highly placed and the lowly placed. It has absolute contempt for position, gender or age. It is a terrorist of the highest order.”
However, he recommended to the Federal Government to make allocation of oil block to cancer for early detection and management.
“Allocate to cancer five per cent of the Gross income of all members of the executive and legislature at federal, state and local government levels and you will see the wonder these deductions will do in early detection of cancer and its management,” Ajekigbe suggested.”
