Cancer is not always death sentence, says oncologist

An oncologist, Adebayo Oladeji, on Wednesday underscored the urgent need to strengthen nationwide cancer screening to enhance early detection and management.

Cancer is not always death sentence, says oncologist “Cancer is not always a death sentence; early detection saves lives,” an oncologist at UCH said.

Mr Oladeji, a consultant radiation and clinical oncologist at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, made this known following the commemoration of World Cancer Day.

According to him, early detection of the disease through screening could save an individual.

“Cancer is not always a death sentence; early detection saves lives,” he said.

World Cancer Day is a global awareness day organised by the Union for International Cancer Control on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

Mr Oladeji harped on the need for Nigeria to expand decentralised cancer care, invest in radiotherapy, pathology, and diagnostic services, and integrate palliative care at all levels to reduce financial barriers through improved insurance coverage and public funding.

According to him, collective action today will lead to fewer late-stage diagnoses, better survival outcomes and reduced suffering, adding that cancer incidence in Nigeria is steadily rising in both adults and children.

Mr Oladeji noted that this increase is driven by population growth, increasing life expectancy, lifestyle changes, environmental exposures, and improving diagnostic capacity.

He expressed concern that most patients present themselves late and often with advanced disease, which he said significantly reduces chances of survival and increases the cost and complexity of care.

Mr Oladeji said that the Federal Ministry of Health established the National Cancer Control Programme and is upgrading oncology services in selected federal teaching hospitals across the geopolitical zones, including UCH, Ibadan.

He added that initiatives such as the Cancer Access Partnership and Cancer Health Fund are improving access to chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and selected targeted treatments.

“UCH is one of Nigeria’s leading centres of excellence for cancer care, with a full multidisciplinary team covering the entire cancer care pathway, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and follow-up. This includes pathologists, radiologists, surgical oncologists, gynaecologic oncologists, haematologist-oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation and clinical oncologists, and psycho-oncologists.

“UCH is the first and currently the only centre in West Africa offering High-Dose-Rate brachytherapy for prostate cancer, a highly specialised form of radiotherapy. Despite these strengths, significant gaps remain, particularly in radiotherapy equipment availability and capacity.

“While progress has been made, facilities and resources remain insufficient to meet the growing cancer burden; many Nigerians still travel long distances or experience long waiting times for diagnosis and treatment,” he said.

According to him, although the government plans to leverage the six cancer centres to expand screening across all geopolitical zones, routine screening access remains limited for many Nigerians.

While expressing concerns that cancer care is still largely funded out-of-pocket by patients, he noted that late diagnosis, combined with inequitable access to affordable, quality cancer care, also posed a challenge.

“Nigeria’s National Cancer Control Plan recognises palliative care as a core pillar, but implementation has been suboptimal, with services concentrated mainly in tertiary centres. Ongoing advocacy continues for the integration of palliative care at all levels of the health system, from primary to tertiary care,” he said.

Meanwhile, he noted that cancer risk could be significantly reduced through evidence-based measures like avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Among others, he also advised people to engage in regular physical activity, HPV vaccination and safe sexual practices for cervical cancer prevention.

“People should always participate in age-appropriate cancer screening (breast, cervical, prostate) and avoid excessive sun exposure, particularly among people with albinism, and limit exposure to known carcinogens,” he said.