A Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Ibadan, Professor Victor Ifeolu Akinmoladun has submitted that pro-inflammatory diets such as sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, processed meats, fried foods including persistent inflammation promote the development of certain types of cancer, including oral cancer.
He made the submission while delivering the 582nd Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan on behalf of the Faculty of Dentistry.
The title of the lecture was “The Scalpel and the Laboratory: Collaboration Against the Lawless”.
The inaugural lecturer stated that cancer is a major societal, public health, and socioeconomic problem in the 21st century that causes 3 in 10 global premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in those aged 30 to 69 years.
Professor Akinmoladun said cancer is responsible for almost one in six of all deaths and one in four deaths from NCDs worldwide adding that head and neck cancer (HNC) is ranked at between 6th to 10th most common cancers in the world.
He described the relationship between inflammation and cancer as an agreement between two individuals or groups of persons to achieve an unlawful or illegal and harmful goal, often with fatal consequences.
The inaugural lecturer stated that many cancers are known to be induced by chronic inflammation, while many more are sustained by it, adding that soluble and cellular inflammatory mediators such as cytokines are responsible for tumour initiation and associated with progression in some cancer cases including head and neck cancers.
He lamented that figures on the burden of the disease are difficult to obtain in Nigeria, adding that data on survival in oral cancer is also hardly available. He said these are adjudged to be way below global values largely due to late presentation, infrastructural deficit, and cost of treatment, amongst others.
The Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery identified risk factors for oral cancer to include: alcohol, tobacco, malnutrition and environmental exposure adding that diet, nutrition, physical activity, other environmental exposures and host factors interact to affect the cancer process.
He affirmed that higher vegetable and fruit consumption have protective effects on cancers of the stomach, oesophagus, lung, oral cavity, pharynx, and colon.
The Don further added that micronutrients such as zinc, copper and selenium along with antioxidants as well as vitamins are required for the production of various enzymes that help prevent DNS damage caused by free radicals and also maintain the integrity of mucosal surfaces.
He stated that cancer is not exactly the direct consequence of a failed immune system or a compromised system, but they can significantly contribute to cancer development while the understanding of the compromises forms the basis for immune therapy against cancers.
He, therefore, called for scalpel-laboratory collaboration, stating that while the scalpel remains a major force in the primary management of head and neck cancer, the care requires a multidisciplinary approach and the laboratory must necessarily be part of the collaboration.
Professor Akinmoladun said the role of the laboratory is now beyond histological diagnosis of the disease but involves genetic and predictive marker testing, amongst others, thus, collaboration is essential in continuing to understand the disease for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
He said that in addressing this rather complex and multifaceted challenge that oral cancers present, fostering collaborations between the scalpel and the laboratory through interdisciplinary intervention remains crucial.
The Don also recommended supplements rich in antioxidants and single-carbon metabolism, vitamins, in addition to lifestyle changes, particularly the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco use.
He further encouraged a targeted therapy, a precision medicine approach to cancer treatment, which relies heavily on laboratory testing and research to identify specific genetic protein targets within cancer cells that can be blocked or altered by drugs.
Professor Akinmoladun advised clinicians, researchers and scientists working in the same field to come together to address critical issues and harness the power of synergy, saying that it is imperative that the scalpel-laboratory collaboration is fully embraced and vigorously pursued.
The Inaugural Lecture was the fifth in the series for the 2024/2025 academic session.
