An Oncologist, Dr Adebayo Oladeji on Wednesday, underscored the urgent need to strengthen nationwide screening for cancer, in a bid to enhance early detection and management.
Oladeji, who is a Consultant Radiation and Clinical Oncologist at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, made this known in a separate interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), following 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
NAN reports that World Cancer Day is a global awareness day, organised by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) every Feb 4, to raise awareness of cancer, and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
The 2026 campaign focuses on the theme “United by Unique” to highlight personalised care.
Oladeji harped on the need for Nigeria to expand a decentralised cancer care, invest in radiotherapy, pathology, diagnostic services, 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 sufferings, adding that cancer incidence in Nigeria is steadily rising in both adults and children.
He 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 cost and complexity of care.
Oladeji said that the Federal Ministry of Health established the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), 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 (CAP) and Cancer Health Fund (CHF) 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 (HDR) 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 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), avoid excessive sun exposure. particularly among people with albinism, and limit exposure to known carcinogens.,” he said
——WHO Says 4 In 10 Cancer Cases Preventable——
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) say up to four in ten cancer cases globally can be prevented.
The organisations said this in a statement on Tuesday, citing a new global analysis.
According to it, the release, issued ahead of the is ahead of World Cancer Day on Feb., 4, with theme “United by Unique”, estimates that 37 per cent of all new cancer cases in 2022, were linked to preventable causes.
Also, it said that the estimate represented 7.1 million cases worldwide.
The organisation said the study examined 30 preventable causes of cancer, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity and air pollution.
It also considered ultraviolet radiation and, for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections.
“The findings highlight the enormous potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden,” the statement said.
According to the analysis, drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, tobacco remained the leading preventable cause of cancer, responsible for 15 per cent of all new cases.
It said infections accounted for 10 per cent, while alcohol caused three per cent of new cancer cases.
It noted that lung, stomach and cervical cancers made up nearly half of all preventable cancers.
”Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV),” it said.
Dr André Ilbawi, WHO Team Lead for Cancer Control and an author of the study, said the analysis was the first to show the extent of preventable cancer risks.
“By examining patterns across countries and population groups, we can provide governments and individuals with more specific information to help prevent many cancer cases before they start,” Ilbawi said.
She said preventable cancer was significantly higher in men than in women with 45 per cent of new cancer cases in men compared with 30 per cent in women.
“In men, smoking accounted for 23 per cent of new cancer cases, followed by infections at nine per cent and alcohol at four per cent,” she said.
“Among women globally, infections accounted for 11 per cent of new cancer cases, followed by smoking at six per cent and high body mass index at three per cent.”
Also, Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram, Deputy Head of the IARC Cancer Surveillance Unit and senior author of the study, said the report was a comprehensive assessment of preventable cancer globally.
She said it incorporated infectious causes of cancer for the first time, alongside behavioural, environmental and occupational risks.
“Addressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden,” she said.
She said preventable cancer varied across regions and that among women it ranged from 24 per cent in North Africa and West Asia to 38 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Among men, the highest burden was in East Asia at 57 per cent and the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean at 28 per cent,” she said.
She said the differences reflected varying exposure to risk factors, socioeconomic conditions and national prevention policies.
She said they also reflected differences in health system capacity.
“The findings underscore the need for context-specific prevention strategies that include strong tobacco control measures, alcohol regulation and vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B.
“Others include improved air quality, safer workplaces and healthier food and physical activity environments,” she said.
Soerjomataram said coordinated action across sectors could prevent millions from experiencing the burden of cancer.
She added that reducing preventable risks would also lower long-term health costs and improve population well-being.
