Clinical Cases

Homeopathic Supportive Care in a Case of Advanced Cancer

Written by B.S. Suvarna

Dr. B.S. Suvarna gives supportive homeopathic care to a woman with end stage cancer.

ovarian_cancerA woman aged 70, suffering from advanced cancer of left ovary came to my clinic for treatment of malignant intestinal obstruction secondary to carcinoma of ovary with ascites. The patient had earlier underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy for 4th stage ovarian carcinoma plus all other supporting treatment in a nursing home in Bangalore. The patient had been admitted in a local hospital for treatment of vomiting with constipation. She was unable to take anything orally and so was put on 4th fluids only.

The patient was moderately built and nourished. She had a febrile pulse 90 / min.

BP 110/70 mm Hg ,

No pallor /icterus /cyanosis / clubbing /lymphadenopathy /edema.

CVS : S1 S2 heard no murmurs

RS : NVBS no added sound

PA : distention + ascites ,

CNS :NAD

Investigations : 10/12/05 ::BUN-15 SCR-1.8 ,BT -2.3 ,CT -10.30 , PT- 13.2 , INR -1.07 , PTT- 32.0 ,HB – 11.5 , TC-8800 , RBC- 3.5 , DC – p 80 % , B-03 % , L-14 % E-02 % , ESR- 04, PCV-31 , MCV-89 ,  MCH-33 , platelets 2.5 lakhs PS, RBCS are normocytic , normochromic  blood picture with neutrophilia na: 119 k ;3.9 c1-82

10/12/2005—Known case of ca ovary with gross ascites (Homeopathy Treatment for Ascites) with omental thickening and multiple peritoneal deposits left pleural effusion cholelithiasis .

11/12/2005 –Na-118, K-3.3 , CI-79

12/12/2005—Na-125 ,K-3.5, CI-85

Treatment given : Patient was not able to take anything orally, so plenty of 4th fluids (in local hospital) were given; electrolytes were managed, catheterization was done, Ryles aspiration was done.

Condition on discharge: Patient is stable in comparison to previous state. Sips of water was allowed.

Advice on discharge: To get admitted in any other hospital and get fluids management.  Surgical correction of intestinal obstruction was overruled by allopathic doctors as the patient is aged and because of the advanced cancer plus pleural effusion. The last days were to be counted.

I was consulted on 12/12/2005 and the patient was in great distress.

The symptoms were constipation, retching and vomiting, abdomen much distended with ascites , restless and worse at night, loss of appetite ,rumbling in stomach , sensation as if something sticking in throat , urine scanty , no thirst , no food intake – not even juice. The patient was completely bed ridden due to repeated vomiting  and  had become very weak . Since the patient was to be on drips only, she was again admitted to a local hospital but no allopathic medicines were given. On the request of patient, I agreed to treat her with homoeopathic medicines .

HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT :

  1. Arsenicumalbum.200 tds for vomiting (the next day vomiting was completely stopped)
  2. Hydrastis 200 tds for constipation
  3. China 200 bds for weakness .

She passed stool 2 times; motion and urine normal , regular food intake, fruit juice.  Was able to take all liquid food , mentally happy, slept well. The medical officer was surprised and on checking her BP, pulse was normal. She was advised to take food in small quantity from 15/12/2005.

She was well on homoeopathic medicines till 29/12/. Suddenly on 30/12/2005, her abdomen was found to be distended due to ascites , so the hospital’s doctor tried to remove it by tapping. But unfortunately the patient aggressively removed the syringe in the middle. The doctor thought it would be better to remove ascitic fluid the next day. But she passed away later that day.

What I would like to highlight here is that her intestinal obstruction was cured by homoeopathic medicines which could not be operated on by surgical means. The permanent question remained in my mind that had the patient been given supportive help earlier by homoeopathic treatment, would she have survived for a longer period .

The patient’s name and pathological/lab report are not included in this article, to respect her privacy.

About the author

B.S. Suvarna

Dr. B.S. Suvarna (B.A, D.I.Hom [Lond.], M.I.H, PhD, PGDPC) is a homoeopathic Physician working at Mamtha Homoeopathic Clinic, Kalyan Nagar, Karnataka State, India. She is Associate Editor to Homeopathic Horizon and consultant to Stay fit magazine Bangalur .

2 Comments

  • Thank you for sharing this case, one that highlights the need for integrative medicine. Well done on achieving the results that you did, and cudos to homeopathic medicines for being able to provide palliative care when it was needed.

    Sadly for both the patient and you, we will never know if the inclusion of homeopathic treatment as part of her overall treatment plan may have prevented her passing.

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