(Extracted from the book “My Tryst with Cancer”
authored by Amritha Madhavan and edited by K.S. Madhavan)
The Trust is providing assistance in cancer cure and
appeals to the cancer patients not to be deterred and
nonplussed on discovery of cancer disease but follow
the advice and tips given in the following paragraphs.
1. “Do not be afraid of cancer”
First step in tackling cancer is to remove the fear
associated with it. In fact most of the cancer patients
did not know that it is Cancer until it became large
enough or unbearable enough to be noticed. What was
your mental and psychological condition when you did
not know that you had cancer? Has it not changed dramatically
since the news was heard? Are you not deeply affected
just by the news?
Why worry now?
If the cancer did not draw your attention through symptoms,
you would have been still a normal person but for the
pain and related problems. Once the symptoms have been
identified as cancer, all the fear, dread and emotional
upheaval take full control of your mind and body, and
you get extremely weak. The news of cancer creates enormous
mental stress (as if a bomb has fallen on the house).
Let us tackle the weakening effect of the "Tyranny
of Information about Cancer" first, and then we
shall tackle the cancer itself.
It has been found that many cancer Patients have lived
long and happily with cancer (unknowingly though) until
the dreaded day arrived, that of discovery of their
affliction with cancer, which pronounced their death
sentence.
Do not accept this Death Sentence!
You will have to resolve that you will tackle cancer
with all the power in you and with all the goodwill
and prayers of your kith and kin in order to be able
to overcome this problem.
2. “Suspect cancer when nothing is traceable
in case of sustained health problem”
When one finds nothing wrong in case of a sustained
health problem he/she tries to forget about the matter
and sleeps on it. This could be dangerous.
Doggedly pursue until the root cause of the problem,
its basic reason is identified. Check and Recheck whether
it is correctly identified.
3. Cancer can attack people with no carcinogenic
exposures also.
Though cancer is more likely to attack one with carcinogenic
habits, it can afflict anyone irrespective age, sex,
habits, etc.
The real pre-disposition to cancer, if any, is yet to
be identified.
4. Resting with one biopsy or a limited number
in a limited area could be a major mistake.
Sometimes biopsies can be negative though there is
cancer due to sampling errors / difficulties.
No conclusions should be made that cancer is absent,
based on limited number of biopsies. Combine specific
diagnostic tools, like cancer markers with above for
the final diagnosis. On the other hand, positive biopsies
are conclusive.
5. Cancer can also recede rarely without treatment.
Non-specific symptoms, leading to the suspicion of
cancer, do recede after attacking once. One should not
rule out the possibility that cancer itself does recede
without treatment. But the reasons are yet to be found
out.
6. Certain types of cancer may not be identified
even after full testing.
With all the advancements in Scanning with CT Scans,
MRI etc., the best way to know if there is cancer in
the abdominal region - stomach, intestines, ovaries,
liver, pancreas, etc. - is to look inside through LAPAROSCOPIC
examination, or by opening the abdominal wall, or endoscopic
examination.
Even with laparoscopy or examination of region duly
opened up, certain types of cancer may not be spotted
or detected early.
7. Aggressive chemotherapy / surgery should
be resorted to only with greatest care and preparation.
To decide on a set of life threatening courses of action
- total surgical removal of organs critical for bodily
functions plus most aggressive Chemotherapy - without
checking, counterchecking and reviewing could be an
inexcusable mistake
Do not jump into any treatment in a hurry.
Let a panel of doctors consisting of Surgeons, Oncologists,
Chemotherapists, Radiotherapists and Microbiologists
debate the pros and cons of various alternative courses
of action and decide on the action plan.
Oncologists should be extremely cautious in administering
the later courses of chemotherapy as they can be life
threatening.
Only a team of doctors should take decisions regarding
the later courses of chemotherapy, after ensuring that
the treatment would not push the patient over the precipice.
8. Alternative approaches.
Sometimes starting the treatment with chemotherapy
or radiotherapy, followed by surgery would be better
than first surgery and then chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
9. Chemotherapy sometimes can lead to Metastasis.
Aggressive chemotherapy can also contribute to cancer
moving to newer areas, with aggressive growth, as immunity
is totally destroyed.
10. Prepare the patient psychologically.
Oncologists should undertake any action only after
preparing the patient well for it psychologically as
well as physically.
11. Use Alternative / Complementary Therapies.
Work with single-minded devotion to establish conclusively
whether alternative systems could cure cancer.
If not, atleast establish how far they can mitigate
the sufferings of patients and prolong their lives.
12. Use Yoga Therapy & Nutrition in all
cases as complements.
Yoga Therapy improves the condition of patients with
close to 100% certainty in Quality of Life improvement.
Also proper Nutrition & Diet Control is a must for
control and speedy recovery.
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