Michael Lemma, Co-Founder of Hope Oncology Specialty Clinic and Executive Director of October Breast Cancer Survivor’s Support Group at Hiwot Fana Cancer Treatment Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Nasopharyngeal Cancer in Eastern Ethiopia
A Preventable Tragedy:
Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is one of the clearest examples of how biology, infection, and health system limitations intersect to determine patient outcomes. NPC is strongly associated with Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). While EBV infection is widespread, its oncogenic potential becomes more pronounced in settings marked by early life exposure, immune stressors and limited access to healthcare conditions common in Eastern Ethiopia.
Clinically, the story is painfully consistent.
Patients often present with:
- Persistent nasal obstruction or bleeding.
- Hearing loss or ear fullness.
- Painless neck swelling.
- These symptoms are frequently treated as benign ENT conditions.
- Referral delays mean that most patients arrive with Stage III or IV disease, often with skull base involvement or bulky nodal disease.
Radiotherapy is the cornerstone of curative treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer. Yet Ethiopia’s radiotherapy capacity remains extremely limited relative to population need. For patients from Eastern Ethiopia, this translates into:
- Long travel distances
- Financial hardship
- Prolonged waiting times
- Treatment abandonment
NPC is not an untreatable cancer. It is a neglected one.
Improving outcomes requires:
- Increased awareness at primary care level.
- Faster diagnostic pathways.
- Urgent expansion and decentralization of radiotherapy services.
- Local research on EBV associated cancers.”
