First brachytherapy treatment of prostate cancer in Nigeria using low dose rate radioactive iodine 125

Abstract

Background We report the first prostate brachytherapy in Nigeria, using low dose radioactive iodine 125 (I-125) permanent seeds implant. Case Presentation The low dose rate brachytherapy using I-125 implants was performed in a private clinic in the city of Benin, Edo state of Nigeria. This pilot study reports the case of the first two patients with prostate cancer. The patients were treated under spinal anesthesia using 2 ml of heavy bupibacaine which is equivalent to 10 mg of bupibacaine. Biopsy, total blood count, electrolytes, urea, creatinine, urinalysis, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, prostate-specific antigen and bone scan were checked prior to the procedure. The first two prostate cancer patients who were in low risk category successfully received the treatment in the first day of the clinic’s operations. This paper describes the settings in which these clinical operations occurred, detailing the type of technology used, the clinical procedure and the obtained dose distribution. Conclusions The paper ends with discussing the overall cost of the investment and the challenges encountered as well as the perspectives of extending the brachytherapy practice to treat other cancer diseases, such as breast and genealogical cancers.

Strengthening Capacity for Prostate Cancer Early Diagnosis in West Africa Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Realist Approach to Rethinking and Operationalizing the World Health Organization 2017 Guide to Cancer Early Diagnosis

“…Prostate cancer treatment services are not only nonexistent in many public hospitals and healthcare facilities, but also, where available, are largely substandard and centralized [10,23,36,37]. For instance, the first brachytherapy treatment in Nigeria using low dose radioactive iodine 125 permanent seed implant was only reposted in 2020 [38]. In Ghana, where there is evidence of functional radiotherapy center, the proportion of men with nonmetastatic disease receiving curative radiotherapy can be as high as 56% [23].…”