HealthTalk With Dr. Mutiat

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HealthTalk With Dr. Mutiat

Health Talk with Dr. Mutiat is here to answer your health-related questions. Hello there!

I’m Dr. Mutiat , a Doctoral prepared Nurse, passionate about simplifying health and wellness for Nigerians. With years of experience in patient care, I’m here to share practical tips, self-care advice, and real-life insights to help you thrive. I believe in the power of preventative health and the importance of managing chronic illnesses. Whether it’s breaking down medical jargon or tackling stre

ss,I keep things real and relatable. When I’m not in scrubs, I’m traveling, chasing big savings goals, and balancing life with my husband, Igwe. Stick around for no-nonsense, achievable content that keeps your health simple and sustainable.

09/07/2026

CANCER 101 — PART 15: HORMONE / ENDOCRINE THERAPY

Let’s continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We’ve talked about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Now let's talk about HORMONE THERAPY. 🎯

🧬 WHAT IS HORMONE THERAPY?

Some cancers use certain hormones to grow and survive.

Hormone therapy works by either blocking those hormones or lowering the amount of hormone available to the cancer.

It is commonly used in cancers such as breast and prostate cancer, among others.

Think of it as:

“If this cancer needs this hormone to grow, let's take away its fuel.” ⛽️🚫

WHEN DO WE USE IT?

Hormone therapy may be used:

✅ To treat hormone-sensitive cancer
✅ After surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence
✅ Before or after other treatments in certain situations
✅ To treat cancer that has spread

But here's the important part:

🚫 WHEN DON'T WE USE IT?

Hormone therapy doesn't work for every cancer.

The cancer must have the appropriate hormone receptor or biological characteristic for hormone therapy to be useful.

So we don't give hormone therapy simply because someone has cancer.

The cancer has to give us a reason to use it. 🎯

And just like the other treatments we've discussed, the choice depends on the type of cancer, stage, biomarkers, previous treatments, and the patient's individual situation.

And YES, hormone therapy can have side effects because we're changing hormone activity in the body. We'll talk about those another day.

QUESTION: Did you know that some cancers actually depend on hormones to grow? 👀

👇🏾 COMMENT below!

And PLEASE SHARE this post. Cancer education only helps when we share the information beyond our own timelines.

LIKE • COMMENT • SHARE ❤️🧬

09/07/2026

We have a message to pass.
Maybe you need to hear it. Maybe someone you love does.

We just want you to take a swipe. 💙
—

09/05/2026

CANCER 101 — PART 14: TARGETED THERAPY 🎯

Let’s continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We’ve talked about surgery.
Chemotherapy.
Radiation.
Immunotherapy.

Now let's talk about TARGETED THERAPY.

WHAT IS TARGETED THERAPY?

Targeted therapy uses medications designed to target specific features of cancer cells that help them grow, divide, survive, or spread.

Think of it as:

“We found something specific that is helping this cancer grow. Let's target THAT.” 🎯

This is one reason we sometimes need biomarker or molecular testing on a tumor.

We are looking for specific changes or characteristics that may tell us whether a targeted treatment is likely to work.

WHEN DO WE USE IT?

Targeted therapy may be used when a person's cancer has a specific target that can be treated with an available medication.

It can be used:

✅ As the main treatment
✅ For cancer that has spread
✅ Before or after surgery in certain cancers
✅ In combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other treatments

And sometimes the presence, or absence, of a particular biomarker can completely change the treatment plan.

🚫 WHEN DO WE NOT USE IT?

We don't give targeted therapy just because someone has cancer.

If the cancer doesn't have a target that we can effectively treat, there may be no role for targeted therapy.

And even when a target is present, the medication may not be appropriate depending on the type and stage of cancer, previous treatments, the patient's overall health, and the available evidence.

So PLEASE don't say:

“They should put you on targeted therapy.”

Targeted therapy isn't something we pick from a menu.

The cancer has to give us something to target. 🎯

And here's another important point:

TARGETED THERAPY is not CHEMOTHERAPY and it's not IMMUNOTHERAPY.

They are different types of cancer treatment and work in different ways.

We’ll get into those differences as we continue this series.

QUESTION: Did you know that we can test a cancer for specific molecular changes to help determine which treatments may work?

👇🏾 COMMENT below!

And PLEASE SHARE this post. Someone in your family, friend group, or community may need to understand why cancer treatment isn't simply “one drug fits all.”

LIKE • COMMENT • SHARE ❤️🧬

09/03/2026

CANCER 101 — PART 13: IMMUNOTHERAPY

Okay, let’s continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We’ve talked about surgery.
We’ve talked about chemotherapy.
We’ve talked about radiation.

Now let's talk about IMMUNOTHERAPY.

And this one is a little different.

🛡️ WHAT IS IMMUNOTHERAPY?

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system recognize and fight cancer.

Your immune system is already designed to identify things that don't belong in your body.

The problem is that cancer cells are sneaky little bastards. 😂

They can develop ways to hide from the immune system or put the brakes on immune cells.

Some immunotherapies work by taking those brakes off, allowing the immune system to attack the cancer.

Other immunotherapies work in different ways to help the immune system recognize or destroy cancer cells.

WHEN DO WE USE IMMUNOTHERAPY?

Immunotherapy can be used for certain types and stages of cancer, sometimes:

✅ As the main treatment
✅ After surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence
✅ Before or after surgery as part of a larger treatment plan
✅ In combination with chemotherapy, radiation, or other cancer treatments
✅ To treat some cancers that have spread

But here's the important part:

Immunotherapy does NOT work for every cancer.

Whether it is an option depends on the type of cancer, stage, molecular characteristics/biomarkers, previous treatments, and the patient's overall situation.

🚫 WHEN DO WE NOT USE IT?

We don't give immunotherapy simply because someone has cancer.

Some cancers don't respond well to currently available immunotherapies.

And even if a cancer can respond, immunotherapy may not be the right choice for a particular patient.

There can also be situations where another treatment is more appropriate, or where the potential risks outweigh the expected benefits.

So please don't tell somebody:

“Why aren't they giving you immunotherapy?” 😂

Their oncology team has a LOT more information about that person's cancer than you do.

And one more important thing:

Immunotherapy is NOT the same thing as chemotherapy.

They work differently.

And yes, immunotherapy can have side effects—including problems caused by the immune system becoming too active and attacking healthy tissues.

We’ll talk about those when we get deeper into treatment.

NEXT UP: TARGETED THERAPY 🎯

Now let's see who is actually paying attention. 😂

QUESTION: Before this post, did you know about immunotherapy ?

👇🏾 COMMENT your answer!

And PLEASE SHARE this post. Cancer education is only useful if the information reaches people who need it.

LIKE • COMMENT • SHARE

Don't just read and scroll! 😂🧬❤️

09/02/2026

CANCER 101 — PART 12: RADIATION THERAPY ☢️

Okay, let's continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We’ve talked about surgery.
We’ve talked about chemotherapy.

Now let's talk about RADIATION.

And before somebody starts imagining a radioactive patient glowing in the dark… 😂

☢️ WHAT IS RADIATION THERAPY?

Radiation therapy uses high doses of radiation to damage the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from growing and dividing and ultimately causing them to die.

Unlike chemotherapy, which often travels throughout the body, radiation is usually directed at a specific area.

Think of it as:

“We know where the cancer is. Let's aim the treatment right there.” 🎯

WHEN DO WE USE RADIATION?

Radiation can be used:

✅ To treat cancer with the goal of cure

✅ After surgery to destroy cancer cells that may be left behind and reduce the risk of recurrence.

✅ Before surgery to shrink certain tumors.

✅ Together with chemotherapy for some cancers.

✅ To treat cancer that has spread to a specific area and is causing symptoms such as pain, bleeding, or pressure.

Radiation isn't always about curing cancer. Sometimes the goal is simply to control the cancer or relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.

🚫 WHEN DON'T WE USE RADIATION?

Radiation isn't appropriate for every cancer.

Some cancers respond poorly to radiation, while others may be better treated with surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, or a combination.

And even when radiation could work, we have to consider where the cancer is located, how much cancer there is, whether it has spread, previous radiation treatments, and the potential effects on nearby healthy organs.

So once again:

Having cancer does NOT automatically mean you need radiation.

And NO, radiation is not simply something you “get after chemo.” 😂

Sometimes it's first.
Sometimes it's after surgery.
Sometimes it's combined with chemotherapy.
Sometimes it's used much later to control symptoms.

It depends on the cancer and the treatment goal.

And one more thing because I KNOW somebody is wondering:

👉🏾 Radiation therapy does NOT usually make you radioactive.

The most common type—external beam radiation—is delivered from a machine outside the body.

There are also forms of internal radiation (brachytherapy) and systemic radioactive treatments, which we'll save for another conversation.

See? We're learning! 😂

NEXT UP: IMMUNOTHERAPY 🛡️

Now I want to hear from you:

Before this post, what did you think radiation therapy actually did? 👇🏾

Drop your questions in the comments, SHARE this post with somebody who needs to understand cancer treatment, and don't just read and disappear! 😂

LIKE • COMMENT • SHARE

Let's keep this Cancer 101 series going. ❤️🧬

09/01/2026

CANCER 101 — PART 11: CHEMOTHERAPY

Okay, let’s continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We talked about surgery. Now let's talk about the one everybody hears and immediately thinks:

“Chemo = cancer treatment.” 😂

But remember what I told you:

CANCER IS NOT ONE DISEASE.

WHAT IS CHEMOTHERAPY?

Chemotherapy is treatment with medications that kill cancer cells or stop them from growing and dividing.

Unlike surgery, which targets a specific area, many chemotherapy drugs travel through the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body.

WHEN DO WE USE CHEMO?

We may use chemotherapy:

✅ To treat cancer that has spread
✅ To shrink a tumor before surgery or radiation
✅ After surgery to destroy cancer cells that may still be hiding in the body
✅ As the main treatment for certain cancers
✅ Together with radiation for certain cancers

🚫 WHEN DON'T WE USE CHEMO?

Not every cancer responds well to chemotherapy.

Some cancers are better treated with surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, or a combination of treatments.

And even when chemotherapy can be used, it may not be appropriate for every patient. The cancer's characteristics, the patient's overall health, previous treatments, and the goals of treatment all matter.

So PLEASE don't tell somebody:

“You have cancer? You need chemo!” 😂

NO MA'AM.

The type of cancer and its biology matter A LOT.

And one more thing:

Chemotherapy is NOT the same thing as every cancer medication.

Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are also cancer treatments, but they work differently from traditional chemotherapy.

We're getting to those. 👀

NEXT UP: RADIATION THERAPY ☢️

And yes, we're going to talk about what radiation actually does.

QUESTION: Before this post, did you think chemotherapy was basically the treatment for ALL cancers? Be honest. 😂👇🏾

And PLEASE SHARE this post. Somebody in your circle needs to understand that cancer treatment is NOT one-size-fits-all.

Drop your questions in the comments too! Ask questions based on what we've discussed so far. We have plenty more Cancer 101 posts coming. 🧬❤️

08/31/2026

CANCER 101| PART 10 — SURGERY: WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY DO?

Alright, let's continue our conversation about cancer treatment.

We already established that cancer treatment is NOT one-size-fits-all. Today, let's talk about surgery.

When people hear “tumor,” they immediately think:

“REMOVE IT!” 😂

But hold on, It’s not always that simple.

WHAT DOES SURGERY DO?

In cancer care, surgery is primarily used to remove cancer that can be physically reached and safely removed.

Depending on the cancer, that may mean removing the tumor, some surrounding tissue, and sometimes nearby lymph nodes.

Surgery can be used to:

✅ Remove localized cancer with the goal of cure
✅ Remove as much cancer as possible
✅ Obtain tissue or lymph nodes for diagnosis/staging
✅ Relieve problems caused by a tumor, such as obstruction or bleeding
✅ Reduce the risk of developing certain cancers in people at very high genetic risk

But sometimes surgery is NOT the best option.

🚫 The cancer may have spread extensively throughout the body.
🚫 The cancer may be one that is primarily treated with medications, such as many blood cancers.
🚫 The tumor may be in a location where surgery would cause more harm than benefit.
🚫 The patient may not be healthy enough for surgery.
🚫 Another treatment may work better.

And sometimes we don't even do surgery first.

We may give treatment BEFORE surgery to shrink the cancer that is called neoadjuvant therapy.

Or surgery may come first, followed by additional treatment to reduce the risk of the cancer returning that is called adjuvant therapy.

So how do your oncologists decide?

They look at the type of cancer, stage, location, biology, whether it has spread, the patient's overall health, and the goal of treatment.

Because once again:

TWO PEOPLE CAN HAVE CANCER AND HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TREATMENT PLANS.

So please stop comparing your treatment to your cousin's, your neighbor's, your friend's mama's or that woman you saw on TikTok. 😂

Next up: we will discuss CHEMOTHERAPY.

Now tell me:

If someone has a tumor, does that automatically mean they need surgery? YES or NO? 👇🏾

Don't forget to like, follow, interact, and share this post.

08/29/2026

🧬 CANCER 101 PART 9 — HOW DO WE DECIDE HOW TO TREAT CANCER?

Okay, we have talked about what cancer is, how cancer is diagnosed, and we’ve talked about stage and grade.

Now we need to talk about something everybody wants to know:

“So how do you treat it?” 👀

And this is where I need y’all to stop thinking that cancer treatment = chemotherapy. 😂

NO MA’AM, NO SIR.

There are MANY different ways we treat cancer, including:

🔪 Surgery
💉 Chemotherapy
☢️ Radiation therapy
🛡️ Immunotherapy
🎯 Targeted therapy
🧬 Hormone therapy
🩸 Stem cell/bone marrow transplant
…and other specialized treatments.

But here is the important part:

We don't just throw all of these treatments at somebody and say, “Oya, try everything.” 😂

Treatment decisions are based on the type of cancer, stage, grade, molecular/genetic characteristics of the cancer, where it is located, whether it has spread, the patient's overall health, previous treatments, and the goals of treatment. ( Now do you see why we do all of that?).

Sometimes? We use ONE treatment.

Sometimes we use a combination of treatments.

And sometimes the order matters.

For example, someone may have surgery first and then receive chemotherapy or radiation afterward.

Another person may receive chemotherapy or radiation before surgery to shrink the cancer and make surgery more effective.

Someone else may not need surgery at all.

And for some cancers, medications that specifically target characteristics of the cancer, or help the immune system recognize and attack cancer, may be an important part of treatment.

So when somebody tells you:

«“My friend had cancer and they did XYZ, so why aren't they doing XYZ for you?”»

🚨 PLEASE DON'T. 🚨 😂

Two people can have the same general type of cancer and still have completely different treatment plans.

Because cancer treatment is NOT one-size-fits-all.

Over the next several posts, we're going to break down these treatment modalities ONE BY ONE.

🔪 Surgery — What does it actually do?
💉 Chemotherapy — What is chemo and how does it work?
☢️ Radiation — How does radiation kill cancer cells?
🛡️ Immunotherapy — How does your immune system get involved?
🎯 Targeted therapy — What exactly are we targeting?
🧬 Hormone therapy — Why would hormones matter in cancer?

And yes, we will talk about why a person may get one treatment and NOT another.

QUESTION: If you've always thought cancer treatment = chemotherapy, raise your hand. 🙋🏾‍♀️😂

If you learnt from this, don't forget to keep to your part of the agreement. I am doing my part, you do yours. Engage, comment, share.

08/28/2026

CANCER 101| PART 8 — WHAT DOES “GRADE” MEAN? 🔬🧬

Okay, we have talked about what cancer is.

We talked about how cancer is diagnosed.

And we talked about STAGE.

Now let's talk about another word you are going to hear A LOT when somebody is diagnosed with cancer:

GRADE.

And no, I’m not talking about your child’s report card. 😂😂

In cancer, grade tells us how abnormal the cancer cells look under the microscope compared to normal cells.

Basically, the pathologist is looking at the cancer cells and asking:

👉🏾 How different do these cells look from normal cells?

👉🏾 How abnormal do they look?

👉🏾 How are the cells arranged?

👉🏾 How quickly do they appear to be dividing?

So how do they figure all of this out?

You cannot determine cancer grade from a blood test.

Most of the time, the cancer tissue has to be examined under a microscope.

Remember when we talked about biopsy?

A piece of the suspicious tissue is removed and sent to the pathologist.

The pathologist examines the tissue and looks at the cells and their characteristics.

Depending on the type of cancer, they may look at things like:

🔬 How much the cells resemble normal cells

🔬 How the cells are organized

🔬 How abnormal the cells look

🔬 How quickly the cells are dividing , also called mitotic activity

🔬 Other specific features of that particular type of cancer

All of this information is put together to determine the grade.

Generally speaking:

LOW-GRADE cancer = the cells look more like normal cells and tend to behave less aggressively.

HIGH-GRADE cancer = the cells look more abnormal and tend to behave more aggressively.

You may see grades described as Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, or sometimes Grade 4, depending on the type of cancer.

BUT WAIT. 👀

Because of course cancer had to make this complicated. 😂

There is NOT one universal grading system for every cancer.

Breast cancer may be graded differently from prostate cancer.

A brain tumor may be graded differently from colon cancer.

Some cancers use Grade 1–3. Some use Grade 1–4. Some have completely different grading systems.

So please don't see “Grade 3” on somebody's pathology report and automatically assume you know what that means.

You need to know WHAT TYPE OF CANCER we're talking about first.

And now let's clear up another VERY common confusion:

GRADE ≠ STAGE.

They are NOT the same thing.

STAGE tells us about the extent of the cancer — where it is, how large it is, and whether it has spread.

GRADE tells us about the appearance and characteristics of the cancer cells and, in many cancers, gives us information about how aggressively the tumor may behave.

So somebody can have an early-stage cancer that is high-grade.

And somebody can have a more advanced cancer that is low-grade.

Different concepts. Different information. Both important.

So now you know:

BIOPSY → TISSUE → PATHOLOGIST → MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION → GRADE

Simple enough? 😂

Next, we're going to break down Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and Grade 4 and what those numbers generally mean.

Because I KNOW somebody is already looking at their pathology report like:

👀👀👀

“Dr. Mutiat, abeg, what does my Grade 3 mean?” 😂😂

Don't worry. We get there.

And PLEASE keep the questions coming.
Ask questions based on the current posts. We have plenty more Cancer 101 coming. This is not a one-and-done post.

Like. Comment. Share. Engage.

I need to know y'all are actually here with me. 😂🧬

08/27/2026

CANCER 101 PART 7 — WHAT DOES “STAGE” ACTUALLY MEAN? 🎗️

Okay, so now we know how doctors figure out whether somebody has cancer.

But then you hear:

“Her cancer is Stage 2.”

“He has Stage 4.”

And everybody suddenly gets quiet. 😬

But what does STAGE actually mean?

Simply put, cancer stage describes how much cancer is in the body and how far it has spread.

It helps doctors understand how big the cancer is, where it is, whether it has spread to nearby lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to other parts of the body.

Generally speaking:

🟢 Stage 1 — Usually a smaller, localized cancer that has not spread far.

🟡 Stage 2 — The cancer may be larger and/or involve nearby tissues or lymph nodes, depending on the type of cancer.

🟠 Stage 3 — More extensive disease, often involving more nearby tissues and/or lymph nodes.

🔴 Stage 4 — The cancer has spread to a distant part of the body. This is called metastatic cancer.

BUTTTTT… 👀

And this is important:

Stage does NOT mean the same thing for every cancer.

A Stage 2 breast cancer is not the same thing as a Stage 2 lung cancer.

And some cancers don't even use the traditional Stage 1–4 system in the exact same way.

There are also cancers like many leukemias where doctors don't typically talk about them as Stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 at all.

So when somebody tells you, “I have Stage 3 cancer,” that information by itself is not enough for you to know what their prognosis is or what treatment they need.

Doctors look at the type of cancer, stage, grade, biomarkers/molecular characteristics, location, overall health, and several other factors.

And NO, Stage 4 does not automatically mean:

“Nothing can be done.”

And Stage 1 does not automatically mean:

“It's no big deal.”

Cancer is complicated, y'all. 😂

That's why we're doing this series.

One step at a time. We are going to break this whole thing DOWN.

Next time you hear “Stage 1” or “Stage 4,” you should at least know what people mean when they say STAGE.

Now, go back to the current posts and ask your questions! 👇🏾

Because I told y'all, this is not a one-and-done series. 😂

There are plenty more posts coming.

Don't forget to engage and share.

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http://nursemutiat.com/

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