A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at General Hospital, Mushin, Dr Muyideen Adelakun has urged a national response, one that prioritises awareness, better diagnostic tools, and more robust ovarian cancer care to address the growing health crisis in the country.
Globally, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women and the eighth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
In 2018, about 300,000 new cases were diagnosed worldwide, resulting in nearly 185,000 deaths. In Nigeria, ovarian cancer ranks as the second most common gynaecological cancer, with an incidence rate of 30.5 per cent, according to a three-year review published in the National Library of Medicine. It most often affects postmenopausal women, with the highest risk in those in their early 60s.
A 10-year retrospective study published in the Nigerian Journal of General Practice found that ovarian cancer accounted for seven per cent of gynaecological malignancies at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). It was also identified as the second leading cause of death among women admitted to the gynaecology ward during the study period.
Despite its deadly nature, ovarian cancer remains largely absent from public health conversations in Nigeria. A lack of awareness, combined with gaps in diagnostic infrastructure, leaves many women vulnerable to late-stage diagnoses.
Ovarian cancer is a type of gynaecological malignancy or cancer that occurs when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to grow uncontrollably and form a tumour and if not detected early, can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.
Adelakun told The Guardian that ovarian cancer is the third most common gynaecological cancer globally and the second most prevalent in Africa, following cervical cancer. He also noted that it is one of the deadliest, largely because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage.
According to Adelakun, ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early because its symptoms mimic those of gastrointestinal conditions and other non-gynaecological issues.
“Most women present with general symptoms like constipation, abdominal bloating, loss of appetite, or rapid weight loss. These are easily mistaken for stomach or bowel issues,” he said.
Speaking on the complexities of gynaecological cancers, Adelakun explained that unlike cervical or endometrial cancers, often marked by noticeable signs such as abnormal uterine bleeding; ovarian cancer tends to develop silently.
Many of its symptoms, he said, are mistaken for less serious gastrointestinal issues, causing delays in diagnosis.
In most cases, the disease is only discovered during unrelated surgical procedures, by which time it may have already spread beyond the ovaries.
One of the major obstacles, he noted, is the lack of a viable screening programme. While cervical cancer prevention benefits from routine Pap smears and HPV testing, ovarian cancer has no such standard tool. Biomarkers like CA-125 and ultrasound imaging exist but are limited in their accuracy and reliability, making early detection particularly difficult.
The situation is worsened by systemic healthcare challenges. The gynaecologist highlighted the combination of poor health-seeking behaviour among the population and inadequate healthcare infrastructure.
He said many women ignore early warning signs like constipation or bloating, opting for self-medication or traditional remedies instead of visiting a hospital. These behaviours, coupled with underfunded facilities and limited diagnostic resources; create a perfect storm for late-stage diagnoses.
On prevention, Adelakun pointed to both genetic and environmental risk factors. Women with a family history of ovarian, breast, or colorectal cancer are at significantly higher risk, particularly those carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. For such individuals, he recommended considering preventive surgery such as total oophorectomy by the age of 35 to 40, especially after completing childbearing.
He also expressed concern over the unsupervised use of ovulation-inducing drugs among women trying to conceive, noting that these drugs could increase ovarian activity and may be linked to a higher cancer risk. Other factors, such as exposure to radiation and delayed childbearing, may also contribute, though no clear link has been established between ovarian cancer and specific foods or infections.
To curb the rising burden, he advocated for a multi-pronged approach that includes increased public awareness, policy-level support, and significant investment in healthcare infrastructure. He stressed the importance of educating women to seek timely medical attention and called for the development of diagnostic tools specific to ovarian cancer.
