Medical doctor and health educator Dr. Chinonso Egemba, popularly known as Aproko Doctor, has urged Nigerians to take persistent or recurring symptoms seriously, warning that some cancers can develop quietly and may initially resemble common illnesses.
Aproko Doctor made the remarks on Monday in a series of posts on X while responding to questions about how veteran Yoruba actor Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, could have been diagnosed with stage-four cancer despite appearing healthy just weeks before his death.
“The uncomfortable truth is that looking healthy does not always mean that everything is fine inside your body,” he said, explaining that some serious illnesses may develop without obvious signs and can initially present symptoms that appear ordinary.
Addressing concerns about ulcers, the doctor clarified that an ulcer does not simply turn into cancer. However, he noted that stomach cancer can produce symptoms that people often mistake for ulcer-related problems.
“An ulcer does not simply turn into cancer. But some cancers, particularly cancers of the stomach, can cause symptoms that people commonly describe as ulcer,” he explained.
He advised people experiencing recurring stomach pain not to rely indefinitely on previously prescribed ulcer medication without establishing the underlying cause.
According to him, persistent symptoms that return despite treatment should prompt further medical evaluation rather than repeated changes in medication.
He identified persistent stomach pain, unexplained weight loss, repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing and feeling unusually full as symptoms that warrant medical attention.
Aproko Doctor, however, cautioned against interpreting every episode of stomach pain as a sign of cancer, stressing that most stomach pain is not cancer-related.
“Most stomach pain is not cancer,” he said, urging people instead to avoid spending months or years treating symptoms without a properly confirmed diagnosis.
Related News:
My husband wouldn’t have died of cancer if he had listened to me, Betty Akeredolu says
His comments came a day after Ogogo died at the age of 66 following a battle with stage-four cancer.
According to a burial announcement by fellow actor Jide Kosoko, the veteran actor died at 3pm on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
Days before his death, Ogogo’s daughters, Kira and Lima Taiwo, reportedly sought medical assistance after doctors informed the family that chemotherapy could no longer be administered because of his condition. The family said it was exploring other treatment options.
Ogogo was one of the prominent figures in Yoruba-language cinema, with a career spanning more than four decades and appearances in hundreds of films.
In a separate post, Aproko Doctor expressed condolences to Ogogo’s family, loved ones and fans mourning the actor.
“Finally, to the family of Alhaji Taiwo Hassan, Ogogo: Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved ones and everyone mourning him. May his soul rest in peace,” he wrote.
About The Author
