Maintain healthy lifestyle, weight to reduce risk of cancer – Expert
Acancer specialist has said that maintaining a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle by making regular exercise part of one’s way of life can help cut down the risk of cancers.
World renown oncologist, doctor specialised in cancer treatment, Dr Rajeev Kaushal, gave the advise in Abuja while enlightening the populace about cancer and healthy living.
Dr Kaushal, who works with the Saudi German Hospital Dubai and has practiced as an oncologist for 32 years, said more than 30% of cancers are linked to obesity, adding that it was important to adopt basic lifestyle changes by eating more fruits and vegetables and eating less processed meat.
“Processed meat when consumed on long term basis can increase the risk of certain kinds of cancers like colon, lung and breast cancer. Red meat is known to increase incidence of colon and rectal cancers and should be avoided,” he said.
He said other key ways of protecting oneself from the different kinds of cancers include saying no to tobacco and using alcohol in moderation because tobacco and alcohol have been known to increase the risk of various cancers such lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostrate cancer, pancreatic cancer and so on. They have also been linked to rise in heart diseases and hypertension to mention a few.
The expert, who is also a specialist in medical and radiation oncology, said immunization was another way to prevent some kinds of cancers.
“Certain kinds of cancers are related to certain types of virus such as Human Papiloma Virus, that causes cervical cancer in women, and throat and anal cancer in men. Proper vaccination against these viruses should be able to reduce the chances of cancer,” he stated.
Dr Kaushal said the Saudi German Hospital Dubai has a super specialty cancer centre with state of the art equipment and highly trained professionals to manage all kinds of cancers. He added that it provides comprehensive cancer care needed by cancer patients under one roof through the following treatments: chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical intervention and targeted therapy or tailor made therapies for cancer patients such as immunotherapy.
He said another pillar was ensuring effective diagnosis such as the use of Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography PET-CT Scan for detection of cancer in the system, and assessing tumour load.
The expert said studies have shown that the use of green tea, mangosteen fruit, pomegranate and circumin which can be gotten from turmeric spice help in preventing and fighting cancer. He said while they are not curative in themselves, they provide support for cancer patients undergoing treatment.
Asked the affordability of cancer treatment in the hospital for indigent Nigerians considering the expensive nature of oncology treatments, the International Patients Affairs Supervisor of the hospital, Semira Dikbas, said the hospital provides maximum discount for cancer patients from countries like Nigeria.
The manager, International Patients, Dr George Davies, said cancer has different stages - from one to four - and that the cost of cancer treatment generally reduces depending on the stage. “When you are diagnosed with stage one the cost of management is lesser,” he said.
He said creating awareness about how to prevent cancer and healthy living was important which was why the hospital partnered with a local hospital and Rotary Club of Abuja District 9125 to sensitize the public on the disease.
He said the hospital also chose to sensitize Nigerians because October is the breast cancer awareness month.
Dr Davies said radiotherapy machines break done often in Nigeria because such heavy machines require steady power supply, which is not available here, and the absence of maintenance technicians to properly fix it when it breaks down.