Ahmadu Bello Varsity Hospital Launches Groundbreaking Ovarian Cancer Drug Trial For Blacks
Nigeria has recorded another major milestone in cancer research as the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, officially launched a groundbreaking clinical trial evaluating Niraparib maintenance therapy for women living with advanced ovarian cancer.
The study, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami, USA, will enrol 20 women diagnosed with specific types of advanced ovarian cancer.
Speaking at the launch, ABUTH Chief Medical Director and Principal Investigator, Prof. Ahmed Hamidu Umdagas, described ovarian cancer as a “silent killer,” noting that Black women are often diagnosed late, develop more aggressive disease, and experience poorer survival outcomes despite being underrepresented in global medical research.
According to him, the trial is expected to help close this gap by generating scientific evidence that reflects African and Black populations, while ensuring the highest standards of ethics, patient safety, and clinical care.
Umdagas added that the research demonstrated that Africa can contribute world class solutions instead of waiting for answers from elsewhere.
Experts from the University of Miami and other collaborating institutions also pledged transparency and full support for the study, expressing optimism that the research could improve treatment outcomes and reduce ovarian cancer deaths among Black women.
The event attracted senior officials from Ahmadu Bello University, the Federal University of Health Sciences Azare, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), researchers, clinicians, and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector.
If successful, the trial could strengthen Nigeria’s position in global cancer research while offering new hope to thousands of African women battling one of the world’s deadliest gynecological cancers.
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