HOW LIVER CANCER KILLED NOLLYWOOD STAR ALEX EKUBO

 

Now it is confirmed that Alex Ekubo died of liver cancer, a little bit of education.

Before we start, please note that the facts below are without prejudice to the actual trigger for liver cancer in the late Actor, as despite identifiable triggers, many patients who die of liver cancer have no known identifiable cause.

This writeup is just to help educate people on the possible causes of liver cancer and how to prevent them.

Another push to make this writeup stems from the fact that my own late father died of Liver Cancer.

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Major Causes:

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1. Hepatitis B and C:

Many associate more stigma with HIV, forgetting that in today’s world, people infected with HIV now live normal lives and actually attain a normal life span, forgetting that hepatitis B and C, extremely dreaded diseases cause much more damage if untreated.

Most cases of Hep B and C are contracted through blood (mostly from transfusion and illicit drug use) and other bodily fluids (mostly from sex)

The virus itself is NOT the cancer, however the longer it stays in the system, the higher the chances it destroys the liver and renders the liver cells cancerous.

Prevention:

a. At least one test for Hep B and C once you attain 18 years of age.

b. Early and timely treatment of infection.

c. If you have tested positive to Hep B or C, ensure you carry out later tests to ensure the virus has been reduced to the barest minimum. Many people are chronic carriers of this virus but do not know.

d. Avoid sharing needles (for drug users)

e. Thorough screening of blood before transfusion.

f. Safe sex practices for multiple partners or partners with unknown sexual history.

g. For those who can afford it (and healthcare workers), there is a hep B vaccine available.

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2. Alcohol and Tobacco use

The liver is the detoxification factory of the human body.

The reason most foods we eat appear harmless is because the liver neutralises the poisons inside them.

While the liver is extremely happy to carry out these functions for a lifetime, there are certain toxins that overwhelm it with the passage of time.

Alcohol and tobacco are the two most notorious culprits.

The reason is not far fetched.

Natural foods contain toxins in concentrations that the liver can cope with, while alcohol and tobacco are mostly processed products.

Alcohol and tobacco wear down certain specialised cells in the liver over time, and when cells begin to lose their function, mistakes are made during cell reproduction and this is the first signal for cancer.

Prevention:

a. Stop smoking.

b. Reduce alcohol intake to a manageable level.

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3. Aflatoxins.

These are toxins created by fungi that contaminate groundnut, wheat, soybean, corn and rice.

The fungi thrives more in warmer environments, so tropical countries are more at risk.

Governments usually mandate testing such products for aflatoxin levels before they are considered safe for consumption, as long term exposure to aflatoxins predisposes people to liver cancer.

It becomes even worse if the victim of the exposure already has chronic hepatitis B or C, as the probability of future cancer increases several fold.

Prevention:

a. As much as possible, avoid any nut, wheat or grain based food that looks rotten.

b. Governments can mandate test on aflatoxin levels of same products.

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4. Excess Body Weight.

This causes an infiltration of the liver with fatty tissue.

Though most times there is no complication, occasionally there is, and the liver cells are overwhelmed and become cancerous.

Prevention:

a. Loose weight.

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5. Vinyl Chloride

These are chemicals which are used in making certain plastics.

They have since been identified as being severely toxic to the liver.

Many governments have since started strictly regulating this substance and mandated liver tests as part of pre-employment checks.

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6. Genetics

Certain genetic diseases that come from

birth, can predispose the person to liver cancer later in life.

The specific diseases are beyond the scope of this writeup, but I just thought it worthy of mention a few.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Tyrosinaemia.

Acute porphyria.

Wilson’s disease.

etc.

This I guess, is where the “luck” factor comes in.

Prevention:

a. Prompt treatment of any disease affecting the liver.

b. Avoid alcohol and tobacco.

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May the soul of Alex Ekubo rest in peace.

May the soul of my father, and all those who passed on from this deadly disease continue to rest.

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