CANCER ADVOCACY NIGERIA

A Heavy Burden

Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths, or one in six deaths, in 2018. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common among women.

The cancer burden continues to grow globally, exerting tremendous physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals, families, communities and health systems. Many health systems in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria are least prepared to manage this burden, and large numbers of cancer patients in the country do not have access to timely or quality diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose

We are a volunteer-led charity for the awareness, prevention and control of cancers in Nigeria. CANCAD supports people living with cancer and their loved ones. We also advocate for health policy reform with relevant stakeholders as well as carry out cancer-related research.

from The Global Cancer Observatory

Where we are

According to data from the WHO's Global Cancer Observatory, there were over 120, 000 new cases of cancer in Nigeria in 2020, with about 78, 000 deaths.

The country has a 74.8% mortality rate from cancers when adjusted for age.

The 5 most common cancers in both sexes were Breast, Prostate, Cervix, Colo-Rectal and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Almost half of the women who get diagnosed with breast cancer in Nigeria die from it, and prostate and cervical cancer are not far behind in that regard.

Find out more about cancer statistics in Nigeria here.

NEWS

NICRAT International Cancer Week Abuja 2024

"I had the incredible opportunity to make a poster presentation on the topic NAVIGATING THE CANCER PATIENTS’ CARE CONTINUUM: THE CANCAD PATNA SUPPORT INITIATIVE based on our recently launched cancer patient navigation program, known as Cancad PatNa Initiative at the #InternationalCancerWeek24 organized by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment @nicratgov in Abuja, Nigeria from 28 October to 01 November 2024.

Cancad PatNa aims to bridge the gap in cancer care and support patients throughout their journey especially with navigating hospital settings as well as providing psychosocial support.

Our initiative has also developed a web application that will help identify the availability and functional status of treatment facilities to support referrals between facilities ultimately contributing to the overall improved health outcomes of cancer patients."

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>> Michael Erhayanmen

Lead, CANCAD On-Site Patient Navigation

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