Expert warns against herbal remedies on swollen legs

Dr Jane Igwilo, consultant radiologist, has advised the public to seek urgent medical interventions rather than resort to herbal remedies on swollen legs or unhealed wounds on limbs.

Igwilo, Head of Radiology, the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

She also said that cases of limb cancer had increased with many patients presenting late at the hospital for treatment that mostly would require amputation.

According to her, there is no reliable evidence from research that herbal remedies could treat, prevent or cure any type of cancer.

“Cancer cases have really increased, especially in children. It used to be few, but now it is almost equal with that of adults.

“Because cancer is a specialised area, ignorance of the public about cancer symptoms and its management is low, which is responsible for late presentation of patients for treatment.

“They come with the notion of it being a spiritual attack; they believe they stepped on poison and present with swollen, bleeding and deformed limbs.

“Many of them had visited traditional bone setters, who tell them to do scarification and sacrifices, by the time they present at the hospital, the cancer is already advanced,” she said.

Igwilo appealed to other medical practitioners against treating patients with cancer of the limb, stressing that they should refer them to cancer specialists.

She also said biopsy should not be conducted on the patients, noting that conducting the procedure would make the cancer spread.

Biopsy is a medical term for an examination of tissue removed from a living body to determine the presence, cause or extent of a disease.

Igwilo said that the cause of bone cancer was unknown.

She, however, noted that factors such as genetics, age and ethnicity increase the risk of developing the disease.

According to her, the burden of musculoskeletal cancer is huge, especially in adolescents who have osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that begins in the cells that form bones. It occurs more frequently in boys than girls.

Igwilo said that osteosarcoma constitutes 30 per cent of all bone cancers diagnosed and are mostly diagnosed in teenagers and young people (aged 11 to 30 years); however, could also affect older adults.

She said that treatment usually involved chemotherapy (treatment by use of chemical substances), surgery and, sometimes, radiation therapy.

According to Igwilo, a multidisciplinary team involving orthopaedic surgeons, radiologist, histopathologist, medical oncologist/radiotherapist, prosthetic designers, rehabilitation specialists, medical social workers are involved in patient’s care.

She said that various medical practitioners in partnership with some Non-Governmental Organisations were creating awareness about cancers to increase early detection and treatment.