Why these cancer patients face a lonely fight

Cancer patients in sub-Saharan Africa often face a lonelier, logistically harder fight than those in wealthier countries, as illustrated by Titilayo in southern Nigeria. After finding a lump in her left breast, she waited weeks for a biopsy sample to be sent to Abuja, and then was advised to undergo a mastectomy and multiple chemotherapy rounds. She says chemotherapy infusions were not always available where she lived, forcing her to obtain them in another state and bring them to the hospital. She pursued treatment while raising three young daughters. The World Health Organization projects that by 2050, cancer cases in sub-Saharan Africa will more than double. In Abuja, radiation oncologist Dr. Basira Hanafi Lawal estimates about 70% of her patients are diagnosed at stage 3 or 4, and notes delays worsen outcomes. The article also points to shifting trends, including colorectal cancer appearing in younger patients.