Prof. Oyeronke Odunola, Director, Cancer Research and Molecular Biology Laboratories, Biochemistry department, University of Ibadan, has raised concern over increasing cancer rate.

Odunola who feared that cancer-related deaths may rise to 70 percent in ten years’ time, 2030, pointed out unhealthy lifestyles, inaccurate diagnoses, low awareness about cancer, and the potential value of therapy as part of the major contributors to the killer disease.

At the maiden memorial cancer awareness lecture of Ellen Adeyinka Anjorin Cancer held virtually via Google Meet, Odunola highlighted breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and blood cancers like multiple myeloma and leukemia as the prevalent types of cancer in Nigeria.

Her words, “Cancer is on the increase in Nigeria like most other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The National Cancer Control Plan (2018–2022), stated that cancer is responsible for 72,000 deaths in Nigeria every year, with an estimated 102,000 new cases of cancer annually.

“Global Cancer Observatory 2018 reports said Nigeria recorded 115, 950 cases of cancer that year. 22.7 percent were diagnosed with breast cancer, 12.9 percent were diagnosed with cervical cancer, 11.3 percent were diagnosed with prostate cancer, 5.8 percent were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, 4.6 percent were diagnosed of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 42.7 percent were diagnosed of other types of cancer.

“The most prevalent types of cancer in Nigeria are, therefore breast cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer. Colorectal cancer and blood cancers like multiple myeloma and leukemia are also on the increase.”

Going further on factors that give rise to cancer she stated,” In addition to hereditary predisposition and epigenetic changes, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diets; consumption of contaminated underground water; and exposure to environmental insults such as carbon fumes from car exhaust, home, and industrial generators, fires woods, campfires, burning of spent tyres; petroleum products (engine oil, diesel, domestic cooking gas); cigarettes smokes; electromagnetic waves from cell phones and remote controls are some of the major causes of cancer.”

Hinting on how to survive cancer, she recommended knowing one’s family history of cancer, adequate consumption of vegetables and fruits, avoidance of alcohol consumption, tobacco, limiting exposure to the sun, and radiation.

Source: Independent