Factors responsible for Cancer in Nigeria
Factors responsible for the increasing incidence of cancer among Nigerians Includes the following:

*  Increasing average life expectancy

*  Increased access to diagnostic facilities,

*  Empowerment of women

*  Smoking

*  Increasing westernization of diets

*  Physical inactivity

*  Obstetric and gynaecological factors

*  Crude oil pollution

*  Heavy metal contamination of underground water from wells, boreholes and shallow streams.

*  HIV/AIDS epidemic

*  Radiation from high electric power lines

*  Cell phones

*  Obesity

Other specific factors include
Industrial environment: This is important as aniline dye industry workers are prone to develop bladder cancer and nickel refining plants workers are at greater risk of developing cancer of the nasal sinuses.

UV Rays: Fair skinned people are more susceptible to Leukemias.

Chemicals: Hydrocarbons, beryllium, arsenic, cigarette etc makes one prone to develop cancer.

Diets: People who take diet low in vitamin A can suffer from lung cancer. Black race eat food contaminated with Aspergillums flavus can develop cancer because of aflatoxin carcinogen substance in their diet.

Drugs: e.g. Immuno-suppressive drugs like steroids suppress the immunity of host and increases risk.

Viruses: One of the notorious viruses of today is Hepatitis B which affects the liver and ultimately results in hepato cellular carcinoma.

Parasite: Schistosoma haematobium infection causes bladder cancer.

Hormone: One of the commonest causes of breast and endometrial cancer in females is increased levels of estrogens and increased level of dihydrotestosterone (metabolites of testosterone) in males can result in prostate cancer.