A clinical oncologist, Dr Omolola Salako, has expressed concern over the increasing number of young Nigerians being diagnosed with cancer, noting that people between 18 and 39 are presenting with forms of the disease that can be difficult to predict.
Salako, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Pearl Oncology Specialist Hospital, raised the concern during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Sunday.
She said the growing incidence of cancer among young adults was particularly worrying because many of them are below the age bracket at which routine cancer screening is usually recommended.
“And for young cancers, that’s another thing we’re seeing in oncology, there are young people between the ages of 18 and 39 that are developing cancers and these cancers are unpredictable, too young to recommend cancer screening in the first place,” she said.
According to the oncologist, the delayed consideration of cancer in younger patients often means that some do not seek medical attention until the disease has progressed.
“And with the younger adults, they tend to present, you know, late because that’s the last thing on a 20-something years old mind,” Salako stated.
Salako identified tobacco use as one of the major risk factors for cancer, warning that exposure is not limited to people who smoke directly.
She explained that tobacco contains thousands of chemicals capable of initiating cancer.
“Smoking contains tobacco. And in tobacco, there are more than 3,000 chemicals that are known to trigger cancer or start cancer,” she said.
The specialist added that people who spend time around smokers could also be exposed to harmful substances.
“Whether you’re smoking it or you’re leaving or hanging around the person who’s smoking, all of that are risk factors,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to take cancer prevention seriously by making use of healthcare facilities for preventive services and early detection.
Salako said vaccination against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, alongside appropriate screening, could help reduce the burden of cancer among Nigerians.
“And 40% of cancers are preventable. So it’s important women and men are presented at the primary care health care levels to get screened, get vaccinated against hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus,” she stated.
The oncologist also identified a strong family history of cancer as an important warning sign.
She advised individuals who have had several family members diagnosed with cancer to consult specialists and undergo appropriate genetic assessments.
“Another challenge I must highlight are those with a strong family history of cancer,” Salako said.
She explained that genetic testing and other specialist assessments could help identify people at higher risk and facilitate early detection.
“When there’s a strong family history, you should see a specialist, you should do some genetic tests and there are some drugs and tests that can be done to detect the cancers when they are at stage zero, pre-cancers, when they are microscopic,” she said.
Salako further identified several health and lifestyle factors that could contribute to cancer risk, including kidney disease progressing to renal failure, uncontrolled hypertension and micronutrient deficiency.
She also cautioned against viewing electronic cigarettes as a completely safe alternative to conventional tobacco products.
According to her, heavy and prolonged alcohol consumption can place stress on the liver, cause chronic inflammation and contribute to some forms of cancer.
She also warned about prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation, particularly among fair-skinned people and individuals with albinism, who have lower levels of melanin.
The oncologist explained that reduced protection from ultraviolet radiation could lead to skin damage, including repeated sunburn.
She stressed that chronic inflammation was a common pathway through which several risk factors could contribute to cancer development.
“At the end of the day, almost everything leads to inflammation,” Salako said.
She explained that repeated damage to body cells could eventually create conditions that allow cancer to develop.
“The problem with cancer is, it just takes one arrow in one cell and finds a way to hide. And that’s how cancer can develop,” she stated.
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