Efficient Care of Challenging Cases of Malignancy - homeopathy360

Efficient Care of Challenging Cases of Malignancy

Introduction  
Cancer, a dreadful condition, is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In 2004, it accounted for 7.4 million deaths, which were around 13% of all deaths that year. It is not surprising that there is a lot of uncertainty about when and whom it can affect, and consequently there is a lot of anxiety about cancer and cancer care as well.
What is the root cause of cancer? Years of medical research has concluded with some empirical evidences like:
  • Lung cancer is strongly linked to smoking
  • Oral cancer is commonly associated with chewing tobacco, as is rampant in India
  • The incidence of breast cancer is found to be higher among women who remain unmarried, who have not given birth to children or who bear children late in their life, resultantly who do not breast-feed their babies due to some or other causes.
  • Even the conventional medical world is highly confused regarding the cause of cancer. Medical knowledge and care for women’s health has drastically reduced the childbirth related hazards in the modern world by increasing the number of breast feeding mothers. Similarly, discoveries in medical science combined with modern technology and health management have reduced the incidences of epidemics, infant mortality and injury related deaths by increasing the number of breast feeding mothers. Yet, breast cancer has increased by 47% in the last 15 years.
  • It has also found answers to increase the patient’s longevity in cases of hypertension, diabetes and other such ailments
  • On the other hand, longevity has itself become a major factor for greater incidence of cancer
  • Estimates say about 12 million people will die of cancer by the year 2030
Establishing the Cause of the Disease and the Preventive Approach 
Do we need to explore the routes of the above-mentioned facts rather than being only superficial? Homeopathy and SEARCH offer experience based concrete answers with reference to the above-mentioned causes established by W.H.O.
  • Regarding smoking, why did the person start smoking? To overcome stress? To please friends? Is the difference in both these and such classes of smokers to be counted or not? What is the answer to such cravings for smoking?
  • Does the emotional status of unmarried women matter?
  • No breast-feeding? Why? Willingly or unwillingly? What is the reaction?
  • Longevity of the life with what quality? Does it matter?
Let this rare case explain to you the importance of the cause. This patient had a severe reaction to B.C.G. vaccination to the extent that scars developed on the opposite sides of the chest (See Picture). He developed malignancy in later life and recovered well with homeopathic treatment on the strong footing the ill effects of vaccination to be the cause of the malignancy. This case is mentioned here just to explain the importance of the cause.
This should be the extent of the homeopathic assessment, an altogether different view than that of the conventional one, but certainly related to the so-called standardized statistical impressions drawn so far by W.H.O. and hence is mandatory to be considered. Since Homeopathy is an experience based science, it will certainly have exclusively experience based and result orientated approach to the management of malignancies rather than only theoretical speculations and a series of useless investigations.
The undisputed fact is that cancer begins from a change in the single cell due to the loss of equilibrium. A series of changes take place before the actual loss of equilibrium. Homeopathy aims at treatment of this series of changes to re-establish the equilibrium or else at least arrest further disturbance.
Any biological reaction is governed by two phases — a stimulatory phase and an inhibitory phase. At the state of health, both these phases work in harmony with each other and that is the exact equilibrium. Any cause that disturbs this equilibrium in its minutest extent is the real cause of malignancy that will vary from case to case.
This change can be triggered off by external agents or inherited genetic factors, provided the person is vulnerable. This is also an accepted fact. That is why not every smoker suffers from malignancy or there are many unmarried women living without malignancy. Hence, the treatment of vulnerability to cancer is the prevention of malignancy. This is possible only if it is done well in time immediately after the action and reaction phenomena whether on the physical or the mental plane. Prevention of malignancy is possible only in the hands of a skilled homeopath because none other than the skilled and fine homeopathic assessment, with due consideration to tendencies and traits of the individual will be able to locate the vulnerability of the individual who suffers from malignancy. The earlier presentations before the actual malignant process sets in are to be considered with an exact judgment about the cause and effect proportion.
Only homeopathy offers the potential to prevent the malignancy as a gift to humanity. Considering the statistics of malignancy mentioned above, as a homeopath, we need to prepare ourselves to face the forthcoming challenge and keep ourselves up to date with basics and advanced concepts of homeopathic management of various malignancies at different stages.
The next stage that follows in the disease process is a chain reaction affecting millions of cells. The speed of the chain reaction determines the pace of the disease that varies from cancer to cancer and needs to be considered while treating the cancer patient scientifically. This explains the importance of pathology in the homeopathic prescribing. Hence, every investigation that determines the rapidity of the cancerous process is of immense importance. It includes all the blood markers of malignancy for e.g. CA 125, CEA, Ca 19.9, PSA, Alfa feto proteins, etc. which indicate the presence of the malignant process or cells in the body fluids.
Malignancy is considered syphilitic in origin and is characterized by a disintegrative process in the body fluids resulting in cachexia. If the disease process is not arrested well in time, the result is an obvious rise in the number of cells involving one or multiple organs or systems, depending on the person’s grade of vulnerability. All the diagnostic criteria are mandatory to establish the nature of the cancer and to assess the improvement.
There are several reasons why our body cells are affected from cancer:
  • Apart from the genetic carryover, modern lifestyles, changing cultural norms, chemical and industrial pollution and stressful urban environments have a lot to do with the growing incidence of cancer.
  • Conventional medicine treats cancer with surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy irrespective of the nature and intensity of the cancer. Whatever be the reasons, deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to rise continuously due to limitations of the conventional medicine. Over 10 billion dollars is spent on lung cancer every year. About 13 billion dollars was spent for the treatment of breast cancer in 2006 worldwide, but still with increasing deaths.
It is a fact that homeopathy can find answers that go beyond these limitations due to its observation and experience based way of looking at the disease. SEARCH highlights on the preventive, curative, restorative and palliative care of cancer patients and assures that the same task can be more successful in the hands of skilled homeopaths.
Curative Management of Malignancy — Case Study 
An operated case of Ca cervix followed by radiotherapy without relief and with recurrence ++++
Narrative Case History
Mrs. R. M., a thin, dark and stooped old lady aged 63 years was brought to SEARCH Homoeopathic Cancer Care Center, Pune, with the following complaints:
  • Anorexia
  • Fatigue ++++
  • Breathlessness ++++
  • Severe cough with greenish expectoration
  • Leg pain
  • Oedema legs and face ++
  • Initial hard stools
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Unable to walk, has to be supported for even slightest movement
  • Slightest movement causes dyspnoea
Past History
  • Early menopause (at 38 years of age)
  • Emotional disturbance
  • H/o sudden IHD; angioplasty done
  • Sudden appearance of p/v discharge. She was diagnosed Ca cervix moderately different squamous cell carcinoma grade II.
  • She was operated. Pan hysterectomy and oophorectomy followed by 21 sittings of radiations and chemotherapy without any relief.
  • Immediate further recurrence involving left iliac vessels and ureter causing left hydroureteronephrosis. No further conventional treatment was possible due to age and poor general condition of the patient indicating bad prognosis.
Homeopathic Management of the Case
Aims
  • Relief from existing symptoms
  • To improve the quality of life
  • To improve functional capacity
  • To avoid further spread of the disease
  • Reversal of the pathology
  • To maintain the healthy status
  • To avoid recurrence
Totality Considered
  • Lean , thin and emaciated
  • Stoop shoulders
  • Prostrated
  • Talkative
  • Dark and waxy skin
  • Early menopause
  • Early aging
  • Emotional cause of disease
  • Regular bounding pulse
  • Large, moist and flabby tongue
  • Old age onset disease
  • Sudden presentation
Reasons for Nat-m. against Phos.
  • Hydraemic constitution
  • Slow progression of the disease
  • Initial slow disintegration at the cellular level presenting later on as ailment
  • Suppression of sycosis
  • Presenting tubercular miasm
  • Malignancy
  • Suppression without any relief
  • Immediate recurrence — rapid progress
  • Anaemia, bloated face, nervousness, constipation or diarrhoea, debility, mental sluggishness, sleepiness and oedema of the lower extremities. It also causes persistent dryness of mucous membranes; dirty and torpid skin.
  • Anaemia; chlorosis; ebullitions. Haemorrhage thin, watery and non-coagulable.
  • Venous plethora, varices. Contraction of tendons and muscles. Emaciation.
  • Lack of vital heat
  • Dropsy. Oedema.
  • Its excessive use dries up the secretions, inhibits assimilation, impoverishes the blood, weakens the nervous system and causes a tendency to idiopathic oedema.
  • Muscles of the back and extremities stretched, loss of breath from least exertion; intermitting tonic spasms.
Prescription
Acute – Ars-alb.
Chronic – Nat-m.
Anti-miasmatic – Tuberculinum,  Merc-s.
Follow up 
December 18, 2008
First prescription (acute) based on presenting complaints
Ars-alb. 30 frequently
December 20, 2008
Fatigue reduced significantly
Marked improvement in physical generals
Thirst frequent for large quantities
Nat-m. 30
After 15 days
Elimination established
Loose stools associated with feeling well
Weight gain
Nat-m.30 frequently
After 2 months
Feeling well
Pain in right sciatic area
Initial constipation
Appearance of old symptoms
Mass regressing
Weight gain
Nat-m.30 frequently
After 6 months
Oedema of legs reappeared
Fatigue +
No maintaining cause established
Anti-miasmatic
After 8 months
Feeling well
Asymptomatic
Weight gain
QOL(Quality of Life) – 92
Kernofsky’s score – 80
Good vitality
Mass completely regressed
Nat-m. 200 infrequently
After 1 year
Fatigue reappeared
Breathlessness < walking
Constitutional aches
Anti-miasmatic
Since then completely asymptomatic to date with normal functional capacity and excellent quality of life Nat-m. 1M at regular intervals
Radiological Evidences
Before Treatment
Hypodense lesion is seen along ilio-psoas muscle on left side involving pelvic vessels and ureter, causing hydronephrosis measuring 5.2*3.2*1.9 cm. Similar lesion is seen on the right side adjacent to right ilio-psoas measuring 2.5*1.2*1.9 cm. (See reports below)
          
After 2 months of homeopathic treatment 
Significant regression in the lesion. (See reports below)
         
Date Investigation Lesion along the  left ilio-psoas muscle (cm) Lesion along the  right ilio-psoas muscle (cm) Rectal and sigmoid colon thickening 
5/11/2008 CT Abdomen & Pelvis 5.2*3.2*1.9 2.5*1.2*1.3 Minimal
26/02/09 CT Abdomen & Pelvis Regression Significantly reduced Not seen
02/07/2009 CT Abdomen & Pelvis Complete regression Complete regression Minimal due to radiation
12/6/2010 CT Abdomen & Pelvis Complete regression Complete regression Not seen
After one Year of homeopathic treatment
Complete regression of the lesion. (See reports above)
Achievements
  • Complete regression of the mass with homeopathic management
  • Immediate relief
  • No further complications/metastasis
  • Stable vital status
  • Achieved W.H.O.’s concept of health i.e. “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

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