- Reacting to the death of Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo, a UK-based consultant physician has offered the major causes of liver cancer
- Multiple reports attribute Alexx’s death to liver cancer, which he had been reportedly battling since 2024, before the illness made a comeback, and his health deteriorated
- According to the doctor, many patients who die of liver cancer have no known identifiable cause, adding that his father also died of liver cancer
Obinna Aligwekwe, a UK-based consultant physician, has highlighted six major causes of liver cancer in response to the death of Nigerian actor Alexx Ekubo, who lost his life on May 11 after battling liver cancer.
The medic clarified that the liver cancer causal agents he enumerated might not be the actual liver cancer trigger for Alexx, as many patients who die of liver cancer showed no identifiable cause.
Photo Credit: Obinna Aligwekwe, Alexx Ekubo
Source: Facebook
Obinna, in a Facebook post on May 13, noted that his post was strictly to educate the public.
Read also
Alexx Ekubo’s death: Aproko Doctor mentions 4 silent signs cancer may be growing in your body
6 causes of liver cancer
For this article, Legit.ng stuck with only the six causes of liver cancer he explained. The six causes of liver cancer he enumerated are as follows:
1. Hepatitis B and C:
Many associate more stigma with HIV, forgetting that in today’s world, people infected with HIV now live normal lives and actually attain a normal life span, forgetting that hepatitis B and C, extremely dreaded diseases, cause much more damage if untreated.
Most cases of Hep B and C are contracted through blood (mostly from transfusion and illicit drug use) and other bodily fluids (mostly from intimacy).
The virus itself is NOT the cancer; the longer it stays in the system, the higher the chances it destroys the liver and renders the liver cells cancerous.
2. Alcohol and Tobacco use
The liver is the detoxification factory of the human body.
The reason most foods we eat appear harmless is because the liver neutralises the poisons inside them.
Read also
Alex Ekubo’s death: Popular Nigerian celebrities who battled cancer and survived against all odds
While the liver is extremely happy to carry out these functions for a lifetime, there are certain toxins that overwhelm it with the passage of time.
Alcohol and tobacco are the two most notorious culprits.
The reason is not far-fetched.
Natural foods contain toxins in concentrations that the liver can cope with, while alcohol and tobacco are mostly processed products.
Alcohol and tobacco wear down certain specialised cells in the liver over time, and when cells begin to lose their function, mistakes are made during cell reproduction, and this is the first signal for cancer.
3. Aflatoxins.
These are toxins created by fungi that contaminate groundnut, wheat, soybean, corn and rice.
The fungi thrive more in warmer environments, so tropical countries are more at risk.
Governments usually mandate testing such products for aflatoxin levels before they are considered safe for consumption, as long-term exposure to aflatoxins predisposes people to liver cancer.
It becomes even worse if the victim of the exposure already has chronic hepatitis B or C, as the probability of future cancer increases several-fold.
Read also
Alex Ekubo’s death: Doctor lists 7 ways to protect against liver cancer in 2026
4. Excess Body Weight.
This causes an infiltration of the liver with fatty tissue.
Though most times there is no complication, occasionally there is, and the liver cells are overwhelmed and become cancerous.
5. Vinyl Chloride
These are chemicals that are used in making certain plastics.
They have since been identified as being severely toxic to the liver.
Many governments have since started strictly regulating this substance and mandated liver tests as part of pre-employment checks.
6. Genetics
Certain genetic diseases that come from birth can predispose a person to liver cancer later in life.
The specific diseases are beyond the scope of this write-up, but I just thought it worthy of mention a few.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Tyrosinaemia.
Acute porphyria.
Wilson’s disease, etc.
This, I guess, is where the “luck” factor comes in.
Photo Credit: Obinna Aligwekwe, Alexx Ekubo
Source: Facebook
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a doctor had listed seven ways to protect yourself from liver cancer.
Read also
Alexx Ekubo’s close associate alleges cause of his death amid viral speculation
Messages lady sent Alexx Ekubo before demise
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a lady named Rejoice had displayed the messages that she sent Alexx Ekubo weeks before his demise.
In the messages posted on Instagram on May 13, she expressed concern for Alexx over his online absence, which went on for over a year, and kept praying for him.
Reacting to Alexx’s death, a heartbroken Rejoice revealed that she could not get to sleep last night and kept seeing him when she shut her eyes.
Source: Legit.ng