Dr Talkmore Maruta's personal experience with a colon cancer diagnosis did not signal the end of his life.
He was diagnosed with colon cancer [colorectal adenocarcinoma] on September 6, 2022, but has since undergone chemotherapy and is now cancer-free.
"Cancer does not always equal to death. I am a living example of a cancer survivor. Cancer is a treatable disease. You can be cured and become free of cancer," Dr Maruta said.
The majority of people may be aware of cervical, breast, and prostate cancer, but there are other diseases that are less commonly discussed, such as colon cancer.
According to Dr Maruta, cancer can grow anywhere in the body, including the big intestines, which consist of the colon and rectum (colorectal).
He said he consulted a doctor after experiencing stomach and abdominal pain for some time without a definitive diagnosis or treatment plan and the doctor made the diagnosis of the colon cancer.
"After this diagnosis there are two major things that happened, first the physicians needed to remove the cancerous growth that was in my colon as soon as possible. This growth was almost closing the opening of the colon."
"So, I listened and went to the theatre to do a procedure to remove this cancerous growth. The procedure took almost six hours. I was admitted at the Cancer Disease Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, where I started my chemotherapy.
"The physicians put me on a six-cycle treatment programme. I did 12 sessions of chemotherapy over a period of at least six months. Since November 2022, every two weeks I was admitted there for two to three days for me to receive the treatment," said Dr Maruta.
He said he is willing to raise awareness of colon cancer in Zimbabwe and around the world by sharing his personal experience.
Dr Maruta advises cancer patients to always seek the assistance of qualified medical professionals including information on cancer diagnosis procedures in the country and throughout the region rather than self-diagnosing or relying on advice from friends and family.
Dr Talkmore Maruta
"Cancer has been associated with death and it is devastating to be told that you have the disease," he said. "Cancer is associated with how many weeks or months are left for your life.
"But here I am, a life example telling people that having cancer is not necessarily the end of your life. I can testify this. I want to encourage people who have been diagnosed with cancer that it is not a death sentence."
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that breast, lung, colon, rectum, and prostate cancers are the most frequent types of cancer worldwide, accounting for around 10 million deaths in 2020, or nearly one in six fatalities.
The national cancer registry reports that cancer incidence in Zimbabwe nearly quadrupled between 2009 and 2018. Behavioural risk factors for cancer, as well as limited access to early diagnosis treatment and palliative care, have contributed to this outcome.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, cancer continues to rank among the leading causes of disease and death with over 5 000 new diagnoses and 1 500 fatalities each year. Zimbabwe is thought to have 35 cases of cervical cancer for every 100 000 women, compared to the average of 15 occurrences worldwide.
Dispelling common cancer myths and what to do after being diagnosed with cancer
Although cancer is a terrifying disease, as is with the case with many other awful diseases, it is not fatal, and there is a myth that cancer is incurable, according to Dr Maruta.
"We have many people that have survived cancer and we need to demystify that once someone is diagnosed with cancer; it does not mean they are on their way to death. There are several stages of cancer; stage 1, 2, 3 up to stage 4," he said.
Dr Maruta said with each stage, the cancer becomes more sophisticated and spreads to more and more places in your body.
"Cancer in stage one is more likely to be localised. In my situation, the malignant tumour was located inside my intestines. The cancer was still contained to the colon," he said.
Dr Maruta said the longer one waits to seek treatment, the more likely it will disintegrate and spread to other regions of your body.
"Once that happens, it becomes more and more complicated to treat. If your cancer is diagnosed early, your chances of survival and treatment are over 90 percent but as you delay, they go down very fast.
"Cancer is not a death sentence, it is treatable. Just like if you have malaria, you get the treatment and malaria goes. Many other diseases will be better controlled if treatment start early. For example high blood pressure, if doctors identify the condition and you get medication, your blood pressure will be controlled. Similarly, cancer can be treated and eradicated completely from your body," said Dr Maruta.
Myths pertaining to chemotherapy
According to Dr Maruta, chemotherapy is not a pleasant treatment, but it is effective.
"There are stories about how terrible chemotherapy treatment is. It is indeed terrible; because these are chemicals that are pumped into your body and these chemicals are meant to go and kill the cancerous cells.
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"Unfortunately, as that happens, they also kill other normal cells and also affect other body parts. Some chemotherapy includes radio therapy; we know radiation destroys. So, they are using radio therapy to try and destroy the cancer cells. When you undergo chemotherapy, it is a very aggressive treatment," said Dr Maruta.
Walking as a stress-relieving activity
According to Dr Maruta, being diagnosed with cancer causes a great deal of tension and anxiety.
"One of the things that I was doing before I got cancer, I needed to continue doing. Walking is a re-assurance on my part to say although I have cancer, it has not affected my day-to-day life. Before I had cancer, I used to walk 10, 15, 20 kilometres during the weekend with my wife.
"After I had stabilised and finished my chemotherapy, as a way of re-assuring myself that it is still me, I'm as strong as I was before, walking really helped me keep my mental strength. Walks helped me to continue with the after effects of the treatment because it's not only during treatment that you have problems but even after because the treatment is very aggressive," he said.
