Clinical Cases

Efficient Care of Challenging Cases of Malignancy

deshpande april image
Written by Shailesh Deshpande

The author discusses the incidence of cancer and the goals of treatment and describes a case to illustrate.

Introduction:

Cancer is a dreadful condition and a leading cause of mortality worldwide. In 2004, it accounted for 7.4 million deaths, which was around 13% of all deaths that year. It is not surprising therefore, that there is a lot of uncertainty about when it will occur and whom it might affect. Consequently there is a lot of anxiety about cancer…and cancer care as well.

What is the root cause of cancer? That’s a million dollar question. Years of medical research has concluded with some empirical evidence that:

Lung Cancer is strongly linked to smoking.

Oral cancer is commonly associated with chewing tobacco, as is rampantly prevalent in India.

The incidence of breast cancer is found to be higher among those women who remain unmarried or who have not given birth to children or who bear children late in life and do not breast feed babies due to some or other cause.

Even the conventional medical world is highly confused regarding the cause of cancer.

For example – Medical knowledge and care for women’s health has drastically reduced childbirth related hazards in the modern world, thereby increasing the number of breast feeding mothers. Similarly, discoveries in medical science combined with modern technology and health management have reduced the incidence of epidemics, infant mortality and injury related deaths, thereby increasing the number of breast feeding mothers. Yet, breast cancer has increased by 47% in the last 15 years. Science has also found ways to increase a patient’s longevity in cases of hypertension, diabetes and other such ailments. Longevity has itself become a major factor for the greater incidence of Cancer. Estimates say about 12 million people will die of cancer in 2030.

Establish the cause of disease and the preventive approach

We need to explore the routes of the above mentioned facts rather than being only superficial. Homoeopathy and SEARCH (Society for Enhancement and Research in Classical Homoeopathy) offer experience based concrete answers to it. With reference to the above mentioned causes, established by the W.H.O., regarding smoking, why does the person start smoking? To overcome stress? To please friends? Do we consider the difference in these classes of smokers? What is the answer to craving for smoking? Does the emotional status of an unmarried woman matter? No breast feeding? – Why? Willingly or unwillingly? What is the reaction? Longevity of life with what quality? Does it matter?

Let this rare case explain the importance of cause. This patient had a severe reaction to the B.C.G. vaccination to the extent that scars developed on the opposite side. He developed malignancy in later life and recovered well with Homoeopathic treatment on the strong indication of ill effects of vaccination as the cause of malignancy. This case is mentioned here just to explain the importance of cause.


This should be the extent of Homoeopathic assessment, an altogether different view than the conventional one, but certainly related to the so called standardized statistical impressions drawn so far by the W.H.O., and hence is mandatory to be considered. Since Homoeopathy is an experience-based science it will certainly have an exclusively experience-based and result-oriented approach to management of malignancies rather than only theoretical speculations and a series of useless investigations.

The undisputed fact is – cancer begins from a change in one single cell due to loss of equilibrium. A series of changes takes place before actual loss of equilibrium. Homoeopathy aims at treatment of this series of changes to re-establish the equilibrium or else at least arrest of further disturbance.

Any biological reaction is governed by two phases – stimulatory phase and inhibitory phase. At the state of health, both these phases work in harmony to each other that is in exact equilibrium.

Any cause that disturbs this equilibrium in its minutest extent is the real cause of malignancy which will vary from case to case. This change may be triggered by external agents or inherited genetic factors, provided the person is vulnerable. This is also an accepted fact. That’s why every smoker will not suffer from malignancy or there are unmarried women living without malignancy. Hence Treatment of vulnerability to cancer is PREVENTION of Malignancy. This is possible only if it is done immediately after the action and reaction phenomena, whether on the physical or mental plane. Prevention of malignancy is possible only in the hands of a skilled Homoeopath, because none other than skilled and fine Homoeopathic assessment with due consideration to tendencies and traits will be able to locate the vulnerability of the individual to suffer from malignancy. The earlier presentations before an actual malignant process sets in, are to be considered with an exact judgment about the cause and effect proportion.

Only Homoeopathy offers potential to prevent malignancy as a gift to mankind. Considering the statistics of malignancy mentioned above, as Homoeopaths we need to prepare ourselves to face the forthcoming challenge by keeping ourselves up to date with basics and advanced concepts of homoeopathic 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 chain reaction determines the pace of the disease that varies from cancer to cancer and needs to be considered while treating cancer patients scientifically. That explains the importance of Pathology in Homoeopathic prescribing. Hence every investigation that determines rapidity of the cancerous process is of immense importance. Out of these are all the blood markers of malignancy, E.g.; CA 125, CEA, Ca 19.9, P.S.A. Alfa feto proteins, etc. which indicate the presence of a malignant process or cells in the body fluids.

Malignancy is basically considered to be Syphilitic in origin, characterized by a disintegrative process in the body fluids and resulting in Cachexia. If the disease process is not arrested 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 diagnostic criteria are absolutely mandatory to establish the nature of cancer and to assess improvement.

There are several reasons why our body cells become cancer affected. Apart from Genetic carry over, modern lifestyles, changing cultural norms, chemical and industrial pollution and stressful urban environments are all responsible and 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 cancer.

Whatever be the reasons, deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising due to the limitations of conventional medicine. Over 10 billion dollars is spent on Lung cancer every year. About 13 billion dollars were spent for Breast cancer treatment in 2006 worldwide, with increasing deaths due to cancer.

It is a fact that Homoeopathy can find answers that go beyond these limitations due to its observation and experience based way of looking at the disease. SEARCH highlights PREVENTIVE, CURATIVE, RESTORATIVE AND PALLIATIVE care of cancer patients and assures that the same task can be more successful in the hands of skilled Homoeopaths.

Curative management of Malignancy –

Case No 1.

An operated case of CA of the cervix followed by radiotherapy without relief & reccurence ++++

Mrs. R.M.
Female

Age group – 60 TO 70 yrs

Narrative case history-

A thin, dark, stooped old lady of age 63 was brought to SEARCH Homoeopathic cancer care center, Pune, with complaints of Anorexia, Fatigue ++++,Breathlessness ++++,Severe cough with greenish expectoration, leg pain, edema legs & face ++, initial hard stools, disturbed sleep, unable to walk, has to be supported for even slightest movement, slightest movement causes dyspnoea, etc. The past history reveled early menopause (at 38 yrs of age), emotional disturbance, h/o sudden IHD, angioplasty done. Sudden appearance of p/v discharge, was diagnosed ca cervix moderately diff. sq cell carcinoma grade II. Was operated for pan hysterectomy and oophorectomy followed by radiation, 21 sittings and chemotherapy, without any relief. Immediate further recurrence involving lt iliac vessels and ureter causing lt hydro uretro nephrosis was noticed. No further conventional treatment was possible due to age and poor general condition of the patient indicating bad prognosis.

Homoeopathic Management of case.

Aims –

  • Relief from existing symptoms.
  • To improve quality of life.
  • Improve functional capacity.
  • Avoid further spread of disease.
  • Reversal of pathology.
  • Maintain the healthy status.
  • Avoid recurrence

Totality considered-

  • Lean , thin, emaciated,
  • stoop shoulders,
  • prostrated,
  • Talkative,
  • Dark, waxy skin,
  • Early menopause,
  • early aging,
  • Emotional cause of disease
  • Regular bounding pulse,
  • Large moist flabby tongue
  • Old age onset disease,
  • Sudden presentation

Reasons for Natrum Mur as against Phosphorus

  • Hydraemic constitution,
  • Initially Slow progress of disease,
  • Pace of disease,
  • Initial slow disintegration at cellular level presenting later on as ailment
  • Suppression of Sycosis,
  • Presenting in tubercular miasm
  • Malignancy,
  • Suppression without any relief,
  • Immediate recurrence – Rapid progress,
  • Anemia, bloated face, nervousness, constipation or diarrhea, debility, mental sluggishness, sleepiness and edema of the lower extremities. It also causes persistent dryness of mucous membranes, dirty, torpid skin;
  • Anemia; Chlorosis: ebullitions: Hemorrhage, thin. watery, non coagulable: Venous
  • Plethora; varices. Contraction of tendons and muscles. Emaciation. Lack of vital heat. Dropsy; edema.

Its excessive use dries up the secretions, inhibits assimilation, impoverishes the blood, weakens the nervous system and causes a tendency to idiopathic edema.

  • Muscles of back and extremities stretched, loss of breath from least exertion; intermitting tonic spasms.

Acute – Ars alb

Chronic Natrum Mur

Anti miasmatic – Tuberculinum, merc sol

Follow up at a glance-

First prescription- (Acute)

Presenting complaints–

Arsenicum Alb.30 frequently

(18/12/2008)

Second prescription- After 3 days,

fattigue significantly reduced, improvement in Phy. Generals marked, thirst freq. for large qty.

Natrum muriaticum 30 20/12/2008
After 15 days

Elimination established, loose stools associated with feeling well, Wt gain

Nat Mur 30frequently
After 2 months

Feeling well maintained, Pain rt. sciatic area, initial constipation, appearance of old symptoms, MASS REGRESSING, WT GAIN

Nat mur 30 frequently
After 6 months

Edema legs reappeared, fatigue +, no maintaining cause established,

Anti miasmatic
After 8 months

Well, asymptomatic, Wt gain QOL 92, Kernoffskis score 80, Good vitality MASS COMPLETELY REGRESSED

Nat mur 200 infrequent
After 1 year

Fatigue reappeared, breathlessness < walking, constitutional aches,

Anti

miasmatic

Since then completely asymptomatic till date with normal functional capacity and excellent quality of life. Nat mur 1m at regular intervals

RADIOLOGICALLY

BEFORE TREATMENT

HYPODENSE LESION IS SEEN ALONG ILIO-PSOAS MUSCLE ON LT.SIDE INVOLVING PELVIC VESSELS AND URETER CAUSING HYDRONEPHROSIS MEASURING 5.2*3.2*1.9 CMS, SIMILAR LESION IS SEEN ON RT. SIDE ADJECENT TO RT. ILIO-PSOAS MEASURING 2.5*1.2*1.9 CMS

AFTER 2 MNTHS OF HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT,

SIGNIFICANT REGRESSION IN LESION

AFTER 1 YEAR OF HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT

COMPLETE REGRESSION OF LESION

Complete regression of mass after only Homoeopathic Treatment –

Investigation Summary-

 

INVESTIGATION NAME Lesion along the Lt. Ilio-psoas muscle (cms) Lesion along the rt. Ilio-psoas muscle (cms) Rectal & 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

 

 

 

 

FurtherMets Clinical status on 1st visit Clinical status at present Duration of treat. General improvement Investigations Period of significant symptomatic recovery
Nil Sleep disturbed, Anorexia ,Fatigue ++++,Breathlessness ++++,Severe cough with greenish expectoration, leg pain, edema legs & face ++, initially hard stools, Slight breathlessness, no cough, edema nil, appetite improved, Vital status maintained with mild fluctuations, no new complications, no recurrence 18/12/08 to till today Functional score 90, asymptomatic. Weight gain by 3 kgs CT abdomen, USG abdomen, intravenous urography 10 days

 

CASE SUMMARY AT A GLANCE

ACHIEVEMENTS: COMPLETE REGRESSION OF MASS WITH HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT,

IMMEDIATE RELIEF, NO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS/METASTASIS,

STABLE VITAL STATUS.

Achieved W.H.O.’s concept of health that is —

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity“.

NOTE – THIS CASE EXPLAINS ONLY THE CURATIVE APPROACH WHICH IS ONE OF THE 4 APPROACHES HOMOEOPATHY CAN TREAT MALIGNANCY WITH.

  • About Author :-

Dr. Shailesh R. Deshpande

M.D. Homoeopathy (Pune)

  • founder & Director of

SEARCH (Society For Enhancement And Research In classical Homoeopathy) International teaching faculty since 1990.

Consulting Homoeopath for over 21 yrs.

Over 9 Research projects

Over 26 national and international articles, research papers Published and presented to his credit.

Visit us at – www.aimcure.com

 

About the author

Shailesh Deshpande

Shailesh R. Deshpande M.D. Homoeopathy (Pune) has been a consulting homoeopath for over 21 yrs and is the founder and Director of SEARCH (Society for Enhancement and Research In Classical Homoeopathy). He"™s been involved in nine research projects and has published numerous articles and research papers internationally. He is Professor of Pathology at A.K. Homoeopathic Medical College and a member of the Board of Examiners, University of Pune.
Visit Dr. Deshpande at www.aimcure.com

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