Cancer rates are rising faster here than anywhere else. Are healthcare systems ready?

Cancer rates are rising faster in parts of the world where health systems are least able to absorb the surge, according to a report highlighting southern Nigeria. Titilayo, who asked to use only her first name, waited weeks for a biopsy sample to be sent to Abuja before learning she had cancer. Her treatment included a recommended mastectomy and multiple chemotherapy rounds, but chemotherapy infusions were not consistently available where she lives, forcing her to obtain them elsewhere. Doctors cited by the article say risk factors such as population aging, alcohol use, tobacco smoking, and more sedentary urban lifestyles may be contributing. Radiation oncologist Dr. Basira Hanafi Lawal estimates around 70% of her patients are diagnosed at stages 3 or 4. The World Health Organization projects sub-Saharan Africa cancer cases will more than double by 2050, with the Eastern Mediterranean region close behind.