The University of Port Harcourt Teaching hospital had the pleasure of receiving one of her finest consultant for general/minimal invasive surgery, Professor Emeka Ray-Offor, for a presentation on colorectal cancer management at the September edition of the hospital’s grand rounds.
Professor Emeka Ray-offor, who had his post fellowship attachment with the Cleveland clinic – in Florida, United states, gave an expository presentation on the modeling strategies for an effective management of colorectal cancer.
Coordinator of the hospital’s grand rounds Prof O. N. Ekeke, while declaring the essence of the ground rounds, and also welcome staff to the meeting said studies done by the surgery department placed Colorectal cancer as the 3rd most common cancer. Which makes the presentation timely and worth it having Prof. Ray-Offor share from his experience of the best practice in managing colorectal cancer.
The worry shared from the presentation is the developing trend with the increasing incidents of cancer case count of 95% in Nigeria , amounting 7,080 in figures for the year 2019 – the increase wave partly attributed to westernization of our diet ( processed food).
Preventive lifestyle to be adopted , healthy diet (high fibre diet), decrease in red meat consumption, alcohol, cigarette smoking, avoiding sedentary lifestyle that may lead to obesity etc.
Strategies outlined for effective management of colorectal cancer, in course of the presentation was multi-disciplinary approach to patient management (which should include Radiotherapist, Radiologist, Oncologist, Pathologist, colorectal Surgeon etc), Imaging modalities, advances in surgery and neo adjutant therapy, gene studies, screening, research.
Having carefully worked with a team of expert surgeons in managing colorectal cancer successfully in the Cleveland clinic, professor Ray-offor, a consultant surgeon in the department of surgery UPTH, recommended the following for a successful management of colorectal cancer-
- centralisation of colorectal cancer treatment in specialized centres
- capital findings- with support from donor agencies, philanthropists, multi-national, manufacturers, collaborative partnership.
- a minimal invasive surgery infrastructure, dedicated suits, consumables with technical support and training.
- Anaesthesia, invasive monitoring trandversus abdominis
- stoma therapy Nursing skills.
As traditional, there was room for questions, contribution, and clarification where necessary, resounding however was the call for government intervention at all levels to make the health system in Nigeria work, having the calibre of professionals like the presenter in this grounds and willing minds to deliver on the best possible for healthcare in Nigeria.
Representing the CMD, CMAC and the hospital management, was the DCMAC’s special linkages and research, Prof. B.O. Braimoh, who acknowledged the record on the increase of colorectal cancer, makes it a public health concern. The Prof. H. A. Ugboma led management will ensure with provisions made available for the hospital to support in actualizing the intervention necessary with the innovations in the management of colorectal cancer.
