Nigerian doctor records breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment
By Titus Akhigbe,Benin
A medical consultant and radiation oncologist resident in Benin City, the Edo state capital, Dr. Oludare Adeyemi has made a major breakthrough in the treatment of the deadly prostate cancer that afflicts men.
Dr. Adeyemi following his recent discovery now uses what he calls ‘brachytherapy (implant) to treat patients suffering from prostate cancer.
Speaking with journalists in Benin City after performing another round of treatment on prostate cancer patients at the LA Oncology Clinic in the state capital, the doctor while describing that one out of seven men are most likely to suffer from the disease, disclosed that his “brachytherapy is a unique form of treating the disease that is less time consuming and affordable.
“Although, there are other options of treating prostate cancer, but the brachytherapy method is very unique, accurate and offers a high degree of cure to patient with prostate cancer, especially when it is done at the early stage of the disease.
“In this discovery of mine, what we do is to implant a radioactive material inside the prostrate and right inside the prostrate the radioactive material begins to release radiations which end up killing the cancerous cells. It damages what we call DNA and when DNA is damaged, the cells cannot actually produce any longer.
“Over 10 patients have benefited from this new discovery of mine and the beauty of the brachytherapy treatment method is that, it is done one time and between two to three hours, you are done and the patient can go home.”
Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the second Vice President, Dr. Ofene Enang commended Dr. Adeyemi for the breakthrough in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Describing the radiation brachytherapy as new form of therapy in the treatment of prostate cancer, Dr. Enang stated that the NMA is at the forefront of canvassing for the reversal of medical tourism in the country.
Earlier, a US based oncologist, Dr. Maghari Rachid, described the breakthrough as a blessing to Nigerians, adding that it will discourage the idea of going abroad for treatment.
