Dr Oluwayemisi Adegboye, The Director of programs for a Non-Governmental Organisation, Bundies Care Support Intiatives has said that 95 per cent of women could survive cancer if detected early.
Dr. Oluwayemisi said this on Wednesday during a popular program on JUST EVENT ONLINE TV tagged Women Hour while responding to questions from the host, Rukayat Shittu.
She further stated that regular screening helps to detect cancer at the early stage, and cancer of all types can be detected in both sexes.
“The chances of surviving breast cancer could be 95 per cent if a woman is screened regularly and cancer is detected at an early stage.
In Nigeria, about 50 per cent of women who developed breast cancer present with stage 4 (metastatic) disease at diagnosis. This means that she only presents when cancer has advanced enough and becomes difficult to treat.
“There is a huge disparity in the area of access to cancer care in Nigeria.
Speaking exclusively on the topic; Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness, she said, “some of the factors include ignorance and socio-economic factors including poverty, cultural, social norms and attitudes.
Inadequate referral systems, incorrect diagnosis, fear of diagnosis, ill-trained health workers, dearth of well-equipped cancer treatment among others”
Speaking on cervical cancer, she explained that cervical cancer is cancer that arises in the cervix of the uterus (womb), adding that it risk factors includea; Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, having many sexual partners, smoking, birth control pills (oral contraceptives) used over the long term, and when engaging in early sexual contact amongst other are likely causes of cervical cancer.
“A vaccine is available to prevent human papillomavirus infection with the most common HPV types that are associated with cancers.
The prognosis and survival rate of cervical cancer depends on the stage and type of cervical cancer and tumor size,” she said.
Oluwayemisi said that all hands must be on deck to reduce the incidences and fatalities from cancer, noting that everyone must be intentional about health status to reduce the mortality rates of all forms of diseases
“This is because it does not discriminate and could happen to anyone.
“All must be aware of the risk factors for the common cancers, awareness and information drive must reach every nook and cranny of the country,” she added.
She also urged, “after awareness, action must follow that we all must take personal responsibility for our health and schedule annual health and wellness checks.”
She said that women below 40-years old must do monthly and annual breast checks, while women above that age should have a mammogram screening each year, and must cultivate the habit of constant massaging of breast.
The executive director, however, called on the Government of Nigeria to give the rising cancer incidence in the country the priority it requires.
This is by providing greater access to care for the populace and closing the gap in cancer care.
She also called on the Federal Government to invest more in quality services that could help overcome health disparities and address inequalities in health care provision and access for its people.
“Efficient and widely accessible cancer services would save countless individuals from a premature and often painful death,” she said.
Oluwayemisi said that “Close the Care Gap” is the theme of the new three-year campaign for world cancer day.
JUST EVENT ONLINE also reports that World Cancer Day, a global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control, is held every February 4 to raise worldwide awareness, improve education and catalyse personal, collective, and government action against cancer.
Cancer is a broad term that describes the disease that results when cellular changes cause the uncontrolled growth and division of cells.
According to worldcancerday.org, cancer is a disease that occurs when changes in a group of normal cells within the body lead to uncontrolled, abnormal growth forming a lump called a tumour; this is true of all cancers except leukaemia (cancer of the blood).
If left untreated, tumours can grow and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, or to other parts of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems. It can affect the digestive, nervous and circulatory systems.
