article · Health Science Reports
Cancer presents a rising burden in Nigeria, with 269,109 new cases recorded in 2022, led by breast and prostate malignancies. Diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities remain severely constrained across the country. Patients routinely confront substantial out-of-pocket costs, delayed diagnoses caused by poor health information and service delivery, and scarce diagnostic equipment. The entire population of 218.5 million is served by just 27 cancer treatment centres, generating severe delays. To mitigate these shortfalls, the government has introduced the Cancer Health Fund and the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan. Furthermore, specialised public private investments, such as the NSIA-LUTH Cancer Treatment Centre, have treated over 10,000 patients between 2019 and 2024 through thousands of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and brachytherapy sessions. Nevertheless, sustained funding and expanded diagnostic infrastructure are still critically needed.
Cancer mortality globally outpaces HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, yet healthcare systems in developing nations face extreme capacity shortages. Understanding the structural deficits in Nigeria highlights where investment, equipment distribution, and policy interventions are urgently required to prevent late-stage diagnoses and reduce catastrophic household healthcare expenditures.
The review identifies clear market demand for diagnostic equipment, clinical infrastructure, and affordable treatment services for healthcare providers and public health authorities. Established centres like NSIA-LUTH confirm operational readiness for modern oncology hardware and therapeutics, showing an applied, near-market pathway for commercial suppliers of radiotherapy, brachytherapy, and oncology management services.
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Introduction: Cancer has emerged as a leading cause of death worldwide, surpassing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Nigeria's cases and deaths continue to increase every year due to the high cancer burden that affects the country. There were 269,109 new cancer cases registered in 2022, with breast and prostate cancer being the most prevalent. Despite improvements made, several problems related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer across the nation remain. This paper reviews these issues while discussing what is being done to establish an efficient system for managing cancer care in Nigeria. Methods: This review utilizes publicly available sources such as GLOBOCAN, Google Scholar, PubMed, and other gray literature. The search was focused on challenges and efforts regarding the diagnosis and treatment of cancers, using Nigeria as one of the main filters. Results: In the review, substantial obstacles to diagnosing and treating cancer in Nigeria included insufficient diagnostic equipment, high out-of-pocket healthcare costs, as well as delayed diagnosis due to the unavailability of health information and service delivery. With only 27 cancer treatment centers available for a population of 218.5 million people, patients encounter delays as well as financial burdens. Efforts have been made, such as establishing cancer centers, launching the Cancer Health Fund, and introducing policies to improve screening and treatment accessibility, like the National Strategic Cancer Control Plan. Also, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Cancer Treatment Centre, from its inauguration in 2019-2024, has treated more than 10,064 patients, providing 8528 radiotherapies, 6733 chemotherapies, and 215 high-dose rate 3D brachytherapy sessions, revitalizing an industry previously unable to adequately address cancer in Nigeria. Conclusion: Nigeria still faces immense challenges in improving cancer diagnosis and treatment. Although recent initiatives are encouraging, enhanced policies and funding are still needed. The provision of more diagnostic services, awareness concerning various types of cancers, and an increase in treatment facilities will be vital to improving cancer care in Nigeria.
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DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70877
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