Enhancing Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: Insights from CME on Radiation, Medical Oncology, and Homeopathy

Below are the excerpts of the clinical tips and therapeutics discussed during the CME on Updates in Radiation and Medical Oncology and role of homeopathy in related conditions organized jointly by Venkateshwar Hospital and HMAI Delhi branch on 16^th June 2024.

Deliberations and information inputs by

1. Dr Kuldeep Sharma, HoD, Radiation Oncology
2. Dr Mayank Aggarwal, Medical Oncologist
3. Learned participants of the CME

There are few important things to learn:

• There are three types of branches in oncology: Medical oncology, Radiation Oncology and Surgical oncology.
• All branches of oncology in modern medicines work in coherence with each other. As cancer is a complex disease so does its treatment, therefore, there needs to be sync amongst these branches and modalities are chosen as per benefits of the patient.
• Diagnostic modalities are improving day by day; therefore, precise diagnosis can be achieved in many cases.
• Cancer detection does not mean end of life. There are various instances where patients survive well despite of these life-threatening challenges.
• Biopsy is safe and does not spread the disease, as rumoured on social media.
• Radiation oncology has advanced multi-fold in past few years – targeting to body’s type and need, therefore, individualized radiations can be safely given in majority of cases.
• There are as such no contraindications of radiations in oncology expect in young adults, pregnancy and some autoimmune skin diseases.
• No branch of oncology is replacement of other – it depends on patient to patient. In many cases more than one modality are to be adopted.

Prominent homeopathic research studies (few out of many)

• Psorinum 6x – Gall bladder Cancer – used in 3 cases – favourable outcome in 1 patient, partial outcome in 2 patients – published in JACM 2012
• Psorinum 6 × triggers apoptosis signals in human lung cancer cells – increase in p53 expression, Bax expression, cytochrome c release, along with reduction of Bcl-2 level and caspase-3 activation were observed after Psorinum 6× treatment – published in Journal of Integrated Medicine – 2016
• In vitro studies of Psorinum 6x on several human cancer cell lines reveal its anti-cancer potential – published in IJHDR 2015
• Calc carb complex M8 – as adjuvant in Inflammatory carcinoma in dog – dog’s quality of life and survival rate was better as in this case surgery can’t be done – published in IJHDR 2011
• In vivo treatment with M8, a highly diluted tinctures complex, reduced the malignancy of a mouse melanoma model – published in IJHDR 2011
• Scale cor – Skin papilloma in Mice – reduction in genotoxic and DNA damages in bone marrow cells of Sec Cor 30-fed mice – published in EBCAM – 2011
• Chelidonium majus 30C and 200C in induced hepato-toxicity in rats – published in Homeopathy 2010
• Gelsemium – in vitro studies on human HeLa cells – 2010
• Clastogenic potential of Ruta graveolens extract and a homeopathic preparation in mouse bone marrow cells – Ruta 200C may induce genotoxicity in animals – published in Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2008
• Vaginal leiomyoma in a dog: case report – published in IJHDR 2008
• Ruta – Treatment with Ruta graveolens 5CH and Rhus toxicodendron 9CH may reduce joint pain and stiffness linked to aromatase inhibitors in women with early breast cancer: results of a pilot observational study – published in Homeopathy 2016
• Anti-proliferative effects of homeopathic medicines on human kidney, colon and breast cancer cells – producing cytotoxicity and a decrease in cell proliferation – published in Homeopathy 2013.

QoL studies

• Re-analysis of survival data of cancer patients utilizing additive homeopathy – benefit from additional homeopathic treatment until a survival time of up to 12 months after diagnosis – published in CTM 2016
• Subjective wellbeing of cancer patients improve significantly when adjunct classical homeopathic treatment is administered in addition to conventional therapy CTM 2015

Homeopathic Clinical tips

• Cautiousness & Anxiousness – Hyos (even undertakes repeated tests)
• Delusion Cancer, he has – Carcinocin, Ruta, Sabadilla, Spect, Verat
• Epistaxis – Lac can, Crotalus horrid us, Phytolacca, Kali bi
• Fear of death from cancer (even when the cancer is not confirmed) – Carcinosin
• For head and neck related complaints do consider prominent remedies for Diphtheria such as Diptherinum, Basptisia, Phytolacca etc.
• Heart palpitations – Crategus
• Hemorrhagic affections after Radiations – Lac can, Crotalus, Calendula, Echinacea
• Imperfect assimilation – Ferrum phos
• Leucocytosis – Kali nitricum
• Leucopenia – Lecithinum 3x, Five Phos 6x,
• Neuralgia – Radium brom
• Oedema post-surgery – China
• Pain in Neck and dry cough – Crategus, Lycopodium
• Palpitations post-surgery – Sepia (better by walking), Digitalis, Lachesis
• Post cancer treatments complications such as can’t open mouth – Causticum, Radium brom
• Post chemo-therapy complaints – Arsenicum album, Nux vomica
• Post radiation complaints – Kali mur
• Quality of Life improvement: Arsenicum album, Argentum nit, Carbo animalis, Opium (Fear extravagance), Gelsemium
• Rebelliousness – Merc sol, Nitric acid, Argentum nit,
• Sepia – Palpitations on rest and better by walking
• Silicea, Argentum nit – sand like sensation in eyes
• Sleeplessness – Kali phos, Carcinomas (Fear of cancer); Coffea, Hyoscyamus (Post diagnosis of cancer); Passiflora, Natrum mur (Crowding of thoughts especially post surgery)
• Stressful condition in doubtful diagnostic cases – Delusion – SABADILLA, STAPHYSAGRIA
• Suppurations tendency – Gun powder, Staphylococcinum,
• Thrombocytopenia & Neutropenia – Antim crud, China, Carica papaya, Crotalus, Five phos, TNT
• Thrombocytosis (Platelet increase) – Eup perf, Carica papaya, TNT
• Weakness – Abrotanum 6x, Silicea, Bambusa, Natrum mur, Ferreum phos 3x, Kali mur 6x, Iodum, Allium sativum (especially for improving heart function after cancer detection)
• Weight loss – Iodum, Natrum mur, Silicea, Abrotanum, Bambusa (Delusion born tired as if)

DISCLAIMER: These clinical tips are not medical endorsement or replacement to a doctor’s discretion of treatment. These tips are purely for information and discussion purposes. Please seek appropriate medical advice from your nearest medical / health professional.

Information compiled by Dr Saurav Arora

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Dr Saurav Arora, MD

Dr. Saurav Arora is an internationally acclaimed medical homeopath, consultant, and independent researcher having 17+ years of experience as a clinician, researcher, and a teacher.