Previous Doctoral Research
Summary
My doctoral work centered on the impact of alternative medicine use in Ghanaian men of West African descent diagnosed with prostate cancer and the use of local plant croton membranaceus and gave promise, inter alia, of improvement of croton membranaceus and prostate cancer treatment in Ghana by the Herbal Practitioners, and of the deepening of our understanding of the role of alternative medicine in prostate cancer management and root evolutionary causes of high prostate diseases in Ghana

Therapeutic relevance

In the PhD research, the work provided the best knowledge in the use of croton membranaceus in the management of men diagnosed with prostate cancer and the role of alternative medicine in the management of prostate cancer.

Proposed Research

Background

The use of Herbal teas are used widely as preventive medicine in Asia and others to deal with the side effect of conventional prostate cancer treatment.
The research would help to redefine and bring hibiscus tea use in Ghana in the management of prostate cancer to ascertain its anticancer properties like the Green tea.
This research would be the first of its kind in Ghana to focus on prostate cancer and the Hibiscus tea.

Proposal

In contrast, I propose a two stage approach to the study of the hibiscus plant on PSA level of prostate cancer in Ghanaian men. My approach examines the quality of life (QOL), effects of Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer and the use of hibiscus tea.
Stage One would look at the PSA level of Ghanaian men diagnosed with prostate cancer before the use of hibiscus tea and the quality of life  after.
Stage Two is an “observational study “ to look at the effect of drinking hibiscus tea on PSA level of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer and the effects of that specific anticancer effect and the quality of life
This approach leverages many millions of years of wisdom of the use of PSA in the management of men diagnosed with prostate cancer. The PSA is the best marker in terms of the disease progression or monitoring.
This research could greatly expedite the process not only on developing “cocktails” or refined versions of hibiscus tea in Ghana used on occasion or fun but also to bring the novel holistic healing and therapeutic effects, and/or dealing with the diminished side effects of conventional prostate cancer treatment, but also on refining and/or further research into testing models of the hibiscus tea.
Among others, I will apply this two-stage approach to the study of the mechanism of action of the hibiscus tea and its use in the management of prostate cancer.
However, this approach, if successful, could be generalised for application to holistic healing of many complex human cancers.
My PhD research transforms the static ‘snapshots’ of  prostate cancer in Ghana and the way forward for black men.
The research engineered the Ghana Prostate Cancer Awareness Campaign.
The research also engineered integrative approach in prostate cancer management in Ghana.
The value of this kind of modelling is that it empowers the patients to take charge of their own health and deal with the side effect of conventional prostate cancer treatment.
In order to do this, I have been engaged in the following work:
1)    Researching locally into prostate cancer and raising awareness on the disease in Ghana
2)    Formulating prostate cancer policies in Ghana and pushing for the declaration of Father’s Day in Ghana as national prostate cancer awareness day to strengthen the fight against the disease.
3)    Researching into alternative medicines and the key role it plays in the management of men diagnosed with prostate cancer as the national president of the Alternative Medical Association of Ghana(AMAG)
4)    Have been playing key roles into national policies and streamlining alternative medicine practitioners in Ghana and drafting curriculum in courses in alternative medicine in Ghana.

Conclusion

In summary, my approach to understanding prostate cancer treatment and the use of alternative medicine has changed considerably after my PhD research. I see more patients and support them with this approach.
This current postdoc work would bring the hibiscus plant into the limelight of Medical science.
If you are interested in this project also, kindly contact me as holistic Urology is the key to support men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Support my work in any form, cash or knowledge.

My approach to understanding prostate cancer treatment and the use of alternative medicine has changed considerably after my PhD research. I see more patients and support them with this approach.

By
Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu

The writer is a Research Professor of Prostate Cancer and Holistic Medicine at Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine, Larnaca City, Cyprus.