What is it about?
Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the commonest Hematological malignant diseases of public health importance globally. There is paucity in the knowledge, management and outcome of people living with MM in sub-Saharan Africa,especially in Nigeria, over the years. This retrospective study has shown for the first time that MM is a disease that require Palliative Care to manage. It also went further to bring to the fore the complications experienced by people living with MM in Niger-Delta Nigeria due to late diagnosis, inadequate definitive therapeutic interventions and the poor survival outcome due to crude palliative interventions in the region.
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Why is it important?
This study is important because there is urgent need to improve the quality of palliative care received by MM patients in Nigeria. Both the specific and non-specific palliative interventions need urgent attention in order to bring about improved survival interval of people living with MM that will be comparable to what is obtainable in Western world like USA. This is achievable via provision of relevant and affordable health care facilities for diagnosis and treatment of MM in the region.
Perspectives
Diagnosis of MM remains a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, even among Physicians. Most of the time it is misdiagnosed as orthopedic disease and by the time definitive diagnosis is made, complications have set in. I recommend the need to have a specially designated center with modern equipment (radiotherapy machine inclusive) for the management of MM patients in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The services rendered in these designated centers must be subsidized by the government and other agencies passionate about MM. This will serve as a good template for other countries in the region. It will also serve as a good template for other oncology diseases that require palliative care.
Dr Ogbonna Collins Nwabuko
Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Multiple myeloma in Niger Delta, Nigeria: complications and the outcome of palliative interventions, Cancer Management and Research, May 2017, Dove Medical Press,
DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s126136.
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