Dokita Volume 25 - Oncology edition

“Direction rather than ability determines destination. Attitudes are more important than ability, motives more than methods, character more than cleverness, and the heart takes precedence over the head”.

The outgoing decade has marked a momentous period for the human period for the human race. In virtually every field of human existence and endeavour, the nineties have been a time of rapid advancement and breath-taking discoveries have been made. Medical science has not been left out in this phenomenon of progress. Breakthroughs in the understanding of the molecular basis of disease the interaction between and heredity in its causation, as well as the discovery of exciting new treatment modalities and drugs have all combined to make our understanding of the principles and practice of medicine much deeper and broader than they were before. With the new millennium just around the corner and many more discoveries just waiting to be made, we are living in the most exciting period ever of human existence.

The DOKITA Editorial Board has not been left out in this quest for advancement. Marking its 38th year in existence this year, the Editorial Board, which has its primarily function, the publication of the Medical Students journal, DOKITA has managed to weather the storms of time, and through the last four decades, has produced 24 editions of the journal. The journal, intended originally to serve as a medium foe fledging doctors training in this institution to hone their writing skills as well to publish scientific work done and original discoveries made at the university college hospital, Ibadan has enjoyed the leadership and can strongly assert its claim of being the students medical journal published south of the Sahara.

The nineties have been a particularly turbulent period for our country, Nigeria. Major upheals in the political and socioeconomic areas have threatened to halt progress in area of enterprise. However by the dint of sheer resolve and dogged determination, on the part of members of the board, the board has published an edition of the journal annually since the beginning of the decade. It is to the credit of the members of the board, than rather than just maintaining status quo, the editorial board has gone on to make improvements in the production content and scientific content of the journal.
The subject of oncology, world-wide, remains a fascinating and challenging one. For those whose business is to care for human life, oncology is one of the last frontiers to be conquered by modern medical science. With its near limitless potential for wreaking havoc on the human body, and the inability of science to produce a yet conclusive answer to its origin and cure, oncology remains the field of choice for the medical research. The rising incidence of cancer world-wide, due to increasing life expectancy ironically, due to improved medical care, has attracted fresh interest in the field. With billions of dollars being spent annually on the cancer research, mankind is moving closer to the answer of the riddle that cancer represents. New understanding of the molecular biology and possible genetic basis for cancer have offered insights into the origin of cancer. Breakthroughs in the therapeutic options and the overall management of cancer have altered the outlook, for cancer patient. With the improved prognosis this discoveries have brought, the diagnosis of cancer is no longer associated with prolonged suffering and inevitable death and patients who are diagnosed of having cancer can have some reasonable hope of recovery.

DOKITA Vol. 25 No 1, the oncology edition is our contribution to the on-going struggle against the rising menace of cancer in our environment. With better controlled infectious disease non communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes mellitus and hypertension are gradually coming into their own as threats to human life. Information in our humble estimation is a key strategy to dealing with diseases in our environment where the terrible triad of poverty, ignorance and disease are the main factors which militate against human well-being.

We decided to dedicate this edition of DOKITA to the dissemination of information amongst those who would be at the fore front of the struggle against cancer in a few years. This edition, the largest single volume ever produced by this board, boasting the contributions of a whole array of experts from within and without Nigeria as well as greater student authorship than previous editions, is a bold attempt to break out of our limited sphere of influence into the international scene. It is our hope, belief and expectation, that our purpose in putting together this diet to disprove in our generation the words of august bier who once wrote.

“There is a tremendous literature on cancer, but what we know for sure about it can be printed on a calling card”

In preparing the ground work for this edition, the editorial board received assistance from many quarters. We would like to express our gratitude to emeritus professor T.F Solanke, a scientist and surgeon of international repute. Prof Solanke contributed two articles and wrote the foreword to the journal. Dr C.A, Adebamowo also rendered invaluable assistance with the choosing the topics as well as aiding us in making contact with many of our contributors from outside Nigeria. We owe special gratitude to our editorial consultants, especially Dr A.O. Omigbodun who served in the capacity of faculty adviser in the absence of Mr T. O Alonge FRCS and gave necessary and timely advice. I would also like to recognize the invaluable input of the production manager Mr Demola Moses who bore the brunt of the production work and all the dedicated and diligent members of the DOKITA crew whose toil and labour have made possible the production of this journal the Capstone of all our achievements this board year.

Finally I would like to offer heart felt gratitude to the Almighty and ever faithful God whose constant presence and assistance have been our pilot through this board year.

Sunmolu Shoyinka

Editor in Chief, July 1998