Nigerian medical doctor and health educator, Aproko Doctor, has warned that some cancers can develop silently and produce symptoms that may be mistaken for common illnesses such as ulcer.
He gave the warning while reacting to concerns over the death of veteran Nollywood actor, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, who died on Sunday, August 23, 2026, after battling stage-four cancer.
According to the doctor, appearing healthy does not necessarily mean that a serious illness is not developing internally.
He explained that some cancers, particularly stomach cancer, can cause symptoms similar to those commonly associated with ulcer.
“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 said.
Aproko Doctor urged people experiencing recurring stomach pain not to repeatedly self-medicate with ulcer drugs without seeking proper medical evaluation.
He said persistent stomach pain, unexplained weight loss, repeated vomiting, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing and feeling unusually full quickly should be investigated by a healthcare professional.
However, he cautioned Nigerians against assuming that such symptoms automatically mean cancer.
“Most stomach pain is not cancer. The point is don’t spend months or years treating a diagnosis that was never properly confirmed. If something keeps coming back, find out why,” he said.
The health educator also stressed that serious illnesses can sometimes develop without obvious outward signs, making proper medical assessment important when symptoms persist or recur.
His comments followed the death of Ogogo at the age of 66. The veteran actor reportedly died at about 3pm on Sunday after battling stage-four cancer.
Ogogo’s daughters, Kaira and Lima Taiwo, had previously appealed for medical assistance for their father, revealing that doctors had said chemotherapy could no longer be administered because of his condition.
The family subsequently explored other treatment options.
Ogogo was a prominent figure in Yoruba-language cinema, with a career spanning more than four decades and hundreds of film appearances.
Aproko Doctor also expressed condolences to the actor’s family, loved ones and others mourning his death.