Africa
PROF. Kunle Odunsi, a Clinician-Scientist, has advocated an urgent transformation of cancer care in Nigeria through the adoption of precision oncology, immunotherapy and expanded cancer research infrastructure.
Odunsi, Director, University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Chicago, U.S. made the call during a public lecture and the induction of Nigerian Academy of Science NAS fellows on Thursday in Abuja.
The event also witnessed the opening of the NAS museum and library.
The public lecture was entitled “Redefining Cancer Care in the Era of Immunotherapy and Precision Oncology: Implications for Research, Treatment and Policy in Nigeria.”
Oncology is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and cancer treatment while immunotherapy harnesses the body’s own immune system to prevent, control and destroy cancer.
Odunsi said Nigeria’s current cancer care system was inadequate for the country’s growing cancer burden.
He said that no fewer than 80,000 Nigerians died annually from cancer, while survival rates remained significantly lower than in developed countries.
The cancer specialist attributed the poor outcomes to late diagnosis, inadequate screening systems, shortage of specialists, weak research infrastructure and high out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
He said that Nigeria has only about 10 radiotherapy centres and approximately 70 oncologists serving a population of more than 200 million people.
“This is a call to action, we need to change, we need to begin to talk about how do we can implement precision oncology and immunotherapy.
“The status quo on cancer care is not acceptable, we are in the 21st century, so we need to create a system whereby we are able to address these challenges,” he said.
Odunsi explained that precision oncology used the genetic and molecular profile of patients and tumours to guide diagnosis and treatment decisions.
According to him, it allows doctors to tailor therapies to individual patients rather than relying solely on conventional chemotherapy.
He said immunotherapy, on the other hand, works by reactivating the body’s immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells.
Odunsi recommended establishing National Cancer Registry, which would help Nigeria identify population-specific genetic risk factors and improve prevention and treatment strategies.
He also said there was the need for expanded cancer screening programmes, especially for breast and colorectal cancers, where most Nigerian patients present at advanced stages of the disease.
He said no fewer than 80 per cent of breast cancer cases in Nigeria were diagnosed at stages three or four, compared with less than 10 per cent in the U.S.
The expert called for the establishment of regional cancer centres of excellence, genomics laboratories and a national precision oncology initiative.
He also advocated increased investment in cancer clinical trials in Africa, noting that the continent accounted for only 109 cancer clinical trials compared with nearly 8,000 in the U.S. NAN
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MAY. 22, 2026
Tags: Kunle Odunsi NAS U.S