FG Launches Tools for Early Cancer Detections

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Concerned by complications associated with late detection of cancer, the federal government yesterday launched a blood-based test that can be used for early detection of nine high mortality cancers.
The blood-based test tool known as Oncoseek, according  to the federal government, was capable of detecting early, high-mortality cancer types, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, lung, lymphoma, ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach cancer.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, launched the test in Abeokuta. Ogun State capital, at the opening of a maiden National Workshop of the National Cancer Control and Nuclear Medicine Technical Working Group.
According to the minister, the Technical Working Group, which consists of key and diverse professionals in the space, is to work out how Nigeria can begin to deploy nuclear medicine services and technologies to improve the health of Nigerians.
The group, he added, was inaugurated in February 2025 expressing delight that the group had started working vigorously in line with its mandate.
Salako said, “The increasing burden of cancer in our country demands that we deploy all solutions and all management possibilities to tackle the challenge.
“We are therefore implementing programs cutting across prevention, treatment and control, including the ongoing construction of six cancer centres of excellence across the six geopolitical zones.
“The second phase in the agenda to provide state of the art cancer treatment infrastructure is set to commence under the 2025 budget and I am happy to announce that in this second phase, FMC, Abeokuta has been selected to be a recipient of a cancer centre of excellence under the 2025 budget.

“We also now have an agency of the federal government solely dedicated to cancer research: the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.

“As we know, a key challenge of cancer care in our country is late detection and presentation.  A lot of cancers often present with signs and symptoms that mimic other diseases and may miss being detected.

“Screening services that can detect cancers early or even at the precancerous stage are therefore an important mechanism in the prevention and control of cancer.

“Oncoseek, a blood-based test that can be used for early detection of nine high-mortality cancer types, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, liver, lung, lymphoma, ovarian, pancreatic, and stomach cancer being introduced today is a welcome development. It is useful for screening and to identify patients that may require definitive diagnostic tests.”

The minister lamented that Nigeria has not properly explored nuclear medicine, which is a critical management area in healthcare services delivery.

 He said, “It is important to note that one critical management modality that we have not properly explored in the delivery of healthcare services in our country is nuclear medicine.

“Despite the rich resources of human capital in the country in the area of nuclear medicine, and our partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Nigeria is not taking full advantage of what nuclear medicine has to offer in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases including cancers.

“Against this background, we inaugurated a technical working group in February 2025. The TWG which consists of key and diverse professionals in the space is to work out how Nigeria can begin to deploy nuclear medicine services and technologies to improve the health of Nigerians. I am therefore happy that we are gathered here today at this workshop for the development of national nuclear medicine guidelines and policy.”  

He assured the technical working group, of the full support of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to ensure that what policy or guidelines they come up with will be used to action practical initiatives in nuclear medicine that can benefit the people.