Cancer can be detected early, get screened today

For the second time in the year, Nigeria has lost two eminent personalities to cancer.

The former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria and Senior Media Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, died in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, where she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

One cannot forget in a hurry the death of another fearless woman, the former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili, in June at an Indian hospital over an alleged cancer-related sickness.

The list of important personalities whom cancer has killed in the last two years in the country goes on and on. Cancer respects neither race nor status. In fact, it kills both the young and old.

For many who do not know, consultant oncologist and the Head of Oncology Unit, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Prof. Remi Ajekigbe, says cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues.

Ajekigbe says cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems, saying, “Cancer is not just one disease but many diseases.”

The World Health Organisation, in April this year, raised the alarm that the number of people being diagnosed with cancer globally annually has climbed to more than 14 million.

It notes that the number of cancer-related deaths has also increased from 7.6 million in 2008 to 8.2 million in 2013. According to the global body, the world is facing a cancer crisis and all hands – including those of the government and the public – must be on deck to check this ugly trend.

Nigerian situation

The situation is worse in Nigeria where cancer facilities are below average. A survey conducted by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2011 revealed that about 250,000 Nigerians are diagnosed with cancer every year.

Oncologists (cancer specialists) say that Nigeria also records more cancer deaths than any other developing country. According to them, while almost four out of every person diagnosed with cancer survives in developed countries, only one out of every five patients diagnosed with cancer survives in Nigeria.

Ajekigbe blames these deaths on ignorance and poor knowledge on the symptoms of cancer, which has led to late detection of cancer-related diseases – a factor responsible for the low survival rate.

For instance, the oncologist says that breast cancer, which can be cured when detected early, still kills over 10,000 women in Nigeria every year because many of them present with the cancer at an advanced stage when treatment cannot help.

But as deadly as cancer is, physicians maintain that it can be prevented when detected early.

How can cancer be detected early? Ajekigbe says every woman or man above the age of 40 should go for medical screening at least once every year.

He states, “Medical screening and check-up is very important as you grow older. For men, after 40, get screened for prostate cancer. A woman should go for cervical cancer and breast cancer screening every year or as recommended by her personal physician.” He adds, “Cancer kills and it is expensive to treat. Detecting it early is cheap and it saves lives.”

Still on breast cancer, the professor stresses that women should also be familiar with their breasts so they can spot changes in them.

Ajekigbe says, “You must know your breast. Check them regularly for unusual changes. It is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to know if there is a problem. If you notice any lump, discharge, or feel pain in your breast after a personal breast examination, go for screening. Most of the women we have diagnosed with cancer came because they ‘felt’ something in their breast.”

Breast self examination is a way one can check the breasts for changes such as lumps or thickening. It can be done in front of a mirror, in the shower and while lying down. For it to be effective, it must be done right. Experts on www.webmd.com give simple steps you can follow if you choose to do breast self-exam at home.

Coincidentally, October is the cancer awareness month; hence many hospitals have free breast and cervical cancer screening. Visit the nearest health facility in your neigbourhood to avail yourself of this opportunity this month.

For now, here is how to do breast self-examination to reduce your risk for breast cancer which kills over 200,000 women yearly.

In the mirror

• Stand undressed from the waist up in front of a large mirror in a well-lit room. Look at your breasts. Don’t be alarmed if they do not look equal in size or shape. Most women’s breasts aren’t. With your arms relaxed by your sides, look for any changes in size, shape, or position, or any changes to the skin of the breasts. Look for any skin puckering, dimpling, sores, or discolouration. Inspect your nipples and look for any sores, peeling, or change in the direction of the nipples.
• Next, place your hands on your hips and press down firmly to tighten the chest muscles beneath your breasts. Turn from side to side so you can inspect the outer part of your breasts. Then bend forward toward the mirror. Roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles. Your breasts will fall forward. Look for any changes in the shape or contour of your breasts.
• Now, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward. Again, turn from side to side to inspect your breasts’ outer portions. Remember to inspect the border underneath your breasts. You may need to lift your breasts with your hand to see this area.
• Check your nipples for discharge (fluid). Place your thumb and forefinger on the tissue surrounding the nipple and pull outward toward the end of the nipple. Look for any discharge. Repeat on your other breast.

In the shower

Now, it’s time to feel for changes in the breast. It is helpful to have your hands slippery with soap and water. Check for any lumps or thickening in your underarm area. Place your left hand on your hip and reach with your right hand to feel in the left armpit. Repeat on the other side. Check both sides for lumps or thickenings above and below your collarbone.

With hands soapy, raise one arm behind your head to spread out the breast tissue. Use the flat part of your fingers from the other hand to press gently into the breast. Follow an up-and-down pattern along the breast, moving from bra line to collar bone. Continue the pattern until you have covered the entire breast. Repeat on the other side.

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