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Breast Cancer Cases in Nigeria Increases by 296% — Expert
Nigeria is currently gripped by fear of cancer epidemic as cases have witnessed an uptick by a staggering 296 per cent and related deaths by 223 per cent over the past three decades.
Stakeholders at the Roche Breast Cancer Summit 2025, held in Lagos on Wednesday, sounded the warning, referencing rising treatment costs, limited healthcare access, and widespread misinformation as key drivers behind the escalating epidemic.
A Professor of Surgical Oncology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Emmanuel Ezeome, in a sombre address, described breast cancer as a public health emergency. Quoting data from the British Medical Journal, Ezeome noted that breast cancer incidence in sub-Saharan Africa has risen by 247 percent in 30 years, with Nigeria accounting for a significant portion of that increase, adding that the country’s age-standardised breast cancer incidence rate jumped from 24.9 to 38.2 per 100,000, while mortality increased from 19.3 to 26.9 per 100,000.
This disease is not only more prevalent but also more deadly,” Ezeome said, highlighting Nigeria’s mortality-to-incidence ratio of over 51 percent, one of the highest in the world. He attributed this grim statistic to late diagnoses, limited access to effective care, and high out-of-pocket costs, which consume over 40 percent of the annual income for 90 percent of patients.
Reinstating these concerns, the general manager of Roche Nigeria, Dr Ladipo Hameed, described the current state of cancer care as one marked by “unmet needs” while underscoring the dire outcomes for Nigerian cancer patients, citing persistent challenges with late diagnosis and limited treatment options.
“We have made significant advancements in research and drug development. But the key to saving lives lies in accurate diagnosis, personalised treatment, and guiding patients through the healthcare system,” Hameed said
