By ABIODUN AZI

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Cancer Aware, on Friday said that 90 per cent of women could survive cancer if detected early.

Tolu Falowo, Executive Director, Cancer Aware, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that regular screening helps to detect cancer at the early stage.

“The chances of surviving breast cancer could be 90 per cent if a woman is screened regularly and cancer 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 the cancer has advanced enough and becomes difficult to treat.

“There is huge disparity in the area of access to cancer care in Nigeria.

“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,” she said.

Falowo said that all hands must be on deck to reduce the incidences and fatalities from cancer.

“This is because it does not discriminate and could happen to anyone.

“All must be aware of the risk factors for the common cancer, awareness and information drive must reach every nook and cranny of the country,” she added.

Falowo 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.

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 close 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 premature and often painful death,” she said.

Falowo said that “Close the Care Gap” is the theme of the new three-year campaign for world cancer day.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that World Cancer Day, global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), is held every Feb. 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 which 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 (NAN)

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