LAGOS – The Lakeshore Cancer Centre (LCC) located in Victoria Island area of Lagos on Saturday [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
became officially operational.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the centre before now had been offering some skeletal services since July 2014.
Dr Chukwumere Nwogu, Manager Director, LCC, said at the formal launch of the facility that the centre was solely dedicated to the prevention and treatment of cancer.
According to Nwogu, cancer is a rapidly growing global health problem that is of great concern.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”8″]
“Data shows that cancer kills more people worldwide than malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) combined and common to middle income countries.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one third of cancers can be prevented while one third can be effectively palliated.
“Hence the great need for education, screening and early detection,’’ he said.
Nwogu, a cancer epidemiologist and thoracic surgical oncologist, said that the number of cancer cases in Nigeria was increasing.
“In Nigeria, according to the 2012 data of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there are 102,079 new cancers cases per year and 71,571 cancer deaths annually.
“This is probably a marked under-estimation as cancer registration is really poor in Nigeria.
“Over 70 per cent of patients die despite the fact that we do not capture all people. Over 20 per cent of people with cancer are still not captured.
“Many patients usually seek alternative treatments, traditional healers or prayer houses. These numbers are predicted to rise dramatically over the next few years,’’ he said.
The oncologist said that there was urgent need for collaboration to tackle cancer treatment and management in the country.
“We need government to collaborate with us for a cancer registry. We need to have a near accurate statistics of cases and prevalence rates.
“Treating and managing cancer is expensive, not only in Nigeria but all over the world.
“That is why we would appeal to governments and Nigerians to collaborate with the centre to facilitate subsidised costs for treatment, at least, for those who really cannot afford it.
Nwogu said, “the top types of cancers in Nigeria are breast, prostate and cervical cancers. Colon cancer is also increasing.
“We need to tackle and address this scourge because cancer is no respecter of person.
“There are extremely limited facilities for screening, diagnosis, curative treatment or palliation of cancer cases. It is estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 Nigerians seek medical care abroad every year.
“Lakeshore Cancer Centre is to bridge that gap here in the country.
“The Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in Buffalo, New York, the oldest cancer institute in the world is collaborating with us.
“RPCI is heavily involved with LCC in providing training, education and clinical care oversight and research programmes,’’ he said.
Nwogu emphasised that early detection, diagnosis and consultation were best ways to prevent and manage cancer.
Also, Dr Tracey O’Connor, Associate Professor of Oncology at the RPCI, said that early screening and detection was important in the prevention and management of cancer.
“It is a sad reality in Nigeria that the three cancers, breast, cervical and prostate cancers that claim the greatest number of lives are also the most amenable to prevention and early detection.
“All of these cancers, if brought to medical attention early in their development are highly curable.
“ So basically testing and early detection can hugely reduce fatalities.
“People should go for screening. Again, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is recommended for young girls of 11 and 12 years.
“The vaccine is to prevent the human papillomavirus which cause most cervical cancers.
“ It is also recommended for girls and women age 13 through 26 years of age who have not yet been vaccinated or completed the vaccine series.
“The vaccine can also be given to girls from the age of nine’’, she said.
NAN reports that LCC provides diagnostic imaging services, mammography, pap smear, laboratory services, public education awareness, tissue biopsis, outpatient operative procedures chemotherapy services, and palliative care.
The facility also provides minor surgery, oncology consultation, cancer treatment planning as well as outpatient pharmacy. (NAN)