Over the last few years, there has been a sharp increase in cancer diagnosis not just in Kenya, but all around the world. In 2018, 9.8 million people in the world died of cancer with 70% from lower to middle income countries.

With a lot of emphasis on awareness, research, prevention and early detection of cancer, Dr Gladwell Kiarie, a medical oncologist at Nairobi Hospital explains that cancer is a complex disease and its causes and triggers cannot be wholly attributed to diet and lifestyle changes.

Dr Kiarie explains that some of the cancer triggers come from having an underlying genetic risk, environmental factors like smocking and consuming alcohol, infective causes like Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), bacteria like HPylori, Hepatitis C and B, hormonal contraceptives and exposure to ionising radiation, mammograms and CT scans.

Special thanks to Dr Gladwell for sharing her wealth of information with us.