Alexx Ekubo had been secretly battling stage 4 liver cancer since 2024. He got a liver transplant and even returned to work briefly…. but the new liver failed again and he didn’t make it.
Many of us don’t know what causes liver cancer. Here is what you need to know:
1. Hepatitis B & C
This is one of the biggest causes of liver cancer in Nigeria. You can get it through unprotected sex, infected blood transfusions, or shared needles. The dangerous thing is that most people who have it don’t feel sick… they carry it for years without knowing. While it stays in your body, it is quietly eating your liver. By the time you feel something, serious damage has already been done. Go and test yourself today. If you are positive, treat it immediately. There is also a Hepatitis B vaccine available…take it, especially if you work in healthcare.
2. Alcohol & Tobacco
Your liver’s job is to clean your body….every food, every drink, everything passes through it. It does this work every single day without complaining. But alcohol and tobacco are too strong for it to handle over a long time. They slowly break down the liver cells. When liver cells are damaged, they start reproducing wrongly…. and that wrong reproduction is cancer. You may feel fine today, but the damage is building up quietly inside. Reduce your alcohol. Stop smoking. Your liver will thank you.
3. Bad or Contaminated Food
There are dangerous toxins called aflatoxins that grow on groundnut, corn, rice, and wheat …especially when they are stored badly or begin to rot. Nigeria is a hot country, and these toxins grow faster in hot places. When you eat contaminated food over a long period, it poisons your liver slowly. The worst part… if you already have Hepatitis B or C, aflatoxins make everything ten times worse. Always check your food. If your groundnut, corn, or grain smells funny or looks discoloured… throw it away. Don’t manage it.
4. Excess Body Weight
When you carry too much weight, fat begins to build up inside your liver. Most times nothing happens…but sometimes the fat overwhelms the liver and the cells start turning cancerous. You don’t have to be extremely obese for this to happen. Eat well. Exercise. Watch your weight. It is not just about looking good…. it is about keeping your organs alive.
5. Family History & Genetics
Some people are born with certain conditions that make their liver weak from the start. If your parent, sibling, or close relative ever had liver disease or liver cancer, you are already at higher risk than others. This is not your fault… but it is your responsibility to take care of yourself. Avoid alcohol and tobacco completely. Treat any liver condition early before it grows into something bigger.
The liver does not shout when it is in pain. By the time symptoms show, it is often too late.
Go and do a liver test today. Know your Hepatitis status. Eat clean. Stop smoking. Reduce alcohol.
Don’t let what happened to Alexx happen to you or someone you love.
Rest well, Alexx.
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