90 percent of cancer deaths occur in developing countries, says expert

Former Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Olalekan Abudu, has said 80 to 90 per cent of new cases and deaths from cervical cancer occur in low income countries.

He said the disparity in higher incidence and mortality in developing countries has been identified as poor or non- availability of national cervical cancer programmes.

Speaking at the Abimbola Aina Omolulu-Mulele second lecture entitled ‘Cancer of the Cervix: A Preventable Neglected Tragedy,’ Abudu said: “The issue is how we can prevent cervical cancer and compare the cost of preventing, intervention and cost of managing clinical invasive cancer.”

Abudu disclosed that the treatment of invasive cancer is very expensive and frustrating to patients, gynaecologists and radiation oncologists.