Nigerian doctor announces breakthrough in breast cancer treatment

A consultant radiation oncologist, Dr. Oludare Adeyemi of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), has announced that he has achieved a breakthrough in breast cancer treatment.

He disclosed that he recently treated a breast cancer patient without mastectomy (process of removing the breast because of cancer).

He described the treatment as “microseed treatment”, which requires using radioactive seeds.

Dr. Adeyemi who disclosed this while chatting with journalists in Benin City, advised women to go for regular screening for breast cancer in order to detect the disease early.

He explained the new procedure for treating breast cancer was first performed in Canada about two years ago and is now being practised in few places in the USA, but that his was the first in Africa.

“This microseeds treatment is the first in the whole of Africa. It has come to Africa through Nigeria,” explaining that the procedure conserves a breast and that conserving a breast is vital for cosmetic reasons.

Dr. Adeyemi further explained that microseeds treatment takes a day procedure, unlike the conventional radiotherapy that takes four weeks to be completed.

“The procedure is done when microseeds are placed in the tumour bed under ultrasound-guided” but “it must be emphasised that microseeds treatment procedure is only appropriate for now, for early breast cancer”, he said.

He listed factors that cause breast cancer to include hormonal factors, age, environmental factors and lifestyle.

Dr. Adeyemi also listed the symptoms of breast cancer as breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue, change in the size, shape or appearance of a breast, changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling.

He said breast cancer can be prevented if women familiarise with their breasts through breast self-examination and awareness, exercise most days of the week, maintain a healthy weight and choose a healthy diet.