Publications by authors named "Nwamaka N Lasebikan"
To explore the association between COVID-19-related cancer treatment cancellations and the psychological health of cancer patients in Nigeria. We analyzed data collected from 15 outpatient cancer clinics, comprising 1,097 patients between April to July 2020. Study outcome was ten psychological impacts, including feeling down, stressed, and unable to access treatment due to COVID-19 (used as continuous and categorical variable (0-3,4-7,8+ events).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Despite the increased risk of cervical cancer (CC) among women living with HIV (WLHIV), CC screening and treatment (CCST) rates remain low in Africa. The integration of CCST services into established HIV programs in Africa can improve CC prevention and control. However, the paucity of evidence on effective implementation strategies (IS) has limited the success of integration in many countries.
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- Radiation therapy is a critical component in treating pediatric cancer, with advances improving both effectiveness and safety over the last 50 years.
- The improvements in treatment have resulted in better survival rates and fewer side effects, but they require substantial investment in resources and expertise.
- This review focuses on the state of pediatric radiation oncology in Nigeria and aims to guide the development of specific solutions to enhance the availability and fairness of radiation treatment for children with cancer in the region.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigated how COVID-19 impacted telehealth for cancer patients in Nigeria, analyzing data from over 1,000 patients across 15 outpatient clinics between April and July 2020.
- - Findings revealed that 12.6% of patients had their routine follow-ups changed to virtual visits, with significant associations found among those who had surgical and treatment delays or less frequent interactions with healthcare providers.
- - The conclusion highlighted the increased reliance on virtual care during the pandemic, particularly among patients facing treatment disruptions, emphasizing the need for ongoing research into teleoncology in Nigeria.
Article Synopsis
- The global COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in health care delivery, prompting a study on how these modifications impacted oncology services in Nigeria.
- Researchers surveyed 1,072 cancer patients across 15 treatment centers, revealing that 17.3% experienced disruptions in care and over half faced difficulties accessing treatment.
- The findings indicated that vulnerable groups, particularly older patients and those with prostate cancer, were most affected, highlighting the need for policies to reduce service disruptions while ensuring patient safety during the pandemic.
Article Synopsis
- Breast cancer is the leading cancer among women globally, making up 22.7% of all new cancer cases in Nigerian women, highlighting an urgent need for improved local research.
- A review of breast cancer studies in Nigeria from 1961 to 2019 found 472 eligible articles, predominantly consisting of case series and qualitative studies, indicating a lack of high-level evidence such as randomized controlled trials.
- The limited availability of strong evidence hampers evidence-based medicine in Nigeria, resulting in treatment guidelines often relying on foreign research which may not be fully applicable to the local population.
Oncology practice in the COVID-19 pandemic: a report of a Nigerian expert panel discussion (oncology care in Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Pan Afr Med J
September 2020
Since the first case of COVID-19 and its progression to a pandemic, healthcare systems the world over have experienced severe difficulties coping with patient care for both COVID-19 and other diseases most especially non communicable diseases like cancer. These difficulties in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially in Sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria, are myriad. These LMICs are already bedeviled weak health systems, ill equipped cancer treatment centers, with outdated machines and grossly inadequate numbers of oncologists required to treat patients with cancer.
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