INTEGRATIVE CANCER CARE
About Department
The Integrative Cancer Care is an unit of Vimal Lalchand Mutha Cancer Center of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital & Research Center (DMHRC), Pune, Maharashtra, India.
It is a usual experience for Cancer patients to receive a lots of suggestions about the Complimentary & Alternative Medicines (CAM), Traditional Systems of Medicines (TSM), Ayurveda and other systems of medicine since the diagnosis of cancer, from various places from Himalaya to Kerala.
Due to lack of awareness, ease of availability and lack of knowledge about the side effects; these so called SAFE treatments are taken indiscriminately by the patients. They also fail to inform the treating oncologists about these medicines and end up with unexpected side effects and reactions.
The Integrative Cancer Care unit has been established with the aim to provide inclusive Cancer Treatment services to all cancer patients; this at present includes the treatments of Ayurveda, Yoga as dominant traditional Indian systems of medicine.
The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, abiding with its unique way to provide Patient Centric Care has broadened the scope of Cancer Care by including Integrative Cancer Care in its Oncology services.
In this hospital, patients have an open choice to seek Integrative Cancer Care advice at any point in their cancer treatments. The patients usually receive advice on whether & / or when to start, the most suitable Ayurveda Treatments depending upon the type & stage of the cancer and mainly general condition of the patient.
The Integrative Cancer Care unit provides best possible treatment after the complete assessment of the patient, stage of cancer, the conventional treatment being administered as per NCCN or WHO guidelines and nutritional status of the patient.
SPECTRUM OF INTEGRATIVE CANCER CARE IN DMH:
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Add-on Ayurveda Treatments to reduce side effects of Radiation Treatments
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Radiotherapy treatments are an integral part of almost all cancer treatments. It has short term or long-term side effects. Through Integrative Cancer Care program, patients receive topical &/or systemic treatments from Ayurveda system of medicines to minimize or delay the side effects of Radiotherapy, without compromising the efficacy of primary treatment. Oncology team of DMH has the documented treatment protocols for minimizing side effects mainly in Head & Neck Cancers, where it is needed the most.
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The goal of treatment is to reduced side effects like Oral mucositis, Sticky saliva, dryness of mouth, Skin reactions, etc in patients undergoing Radiotherapy for Head and Neck cancers like Oral cavity cancers including Tongue cancer, Hypopharyngeal cancers like Larynx cancer, Vocal cord cancers.
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Ayurveda regimens for treating Radiation Proctitis & Radiation cystitis: In case of Rectum cancers and Cervix cancers, patients experience immediate effects like frequency and urgency to void stool, burning etc due to Radiation Proctitis, & Radiation cystitis. Add-on Ayurveda regimens helps patients with symptomatic relief and reduce the severity of symptoms.
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Add-on Ayurveda Treatments to reduce side effects of Chemotherapy
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Chemotherapy is the gold standard for cancer, treatment, though the side effects are challenging. Different types of drug used in Chemotherapies / Immunotherapies are indicated as per type & stage of the cancer. Patients are concerned over side effects and anxiously keep exploring options from alternative medicines.
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In DMH we have developed add-on Ayurveda regimens for various chemotherapy side effects like nausea, vomiting, loose motions (diarrhea), per rectal bleeding, anal pain, pain in abdomen, derailment of liver function leading to jaundice, low platelets and white blood cells.
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Stand-alone Ayurveda Cancer Treatments
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Adjuvant Ayurveda Cancer Treatments are intended for those patients who can not or may not undergo standard of care treatments like Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy due to some co-morbidities (pre-existing medical conditions) like chronic kidney diseases, low cardiac function [Low Ejection Fraction] in the respective patient.
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Ayurveda Maintenance Treatments
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Ayurveda maintenance treatments are focused in solid tumor cancers (node positive Oral cancers, Breast cancers, Ovarian cancers, Gall bladder cancers, Pancreas cancers, Stomach cancers are few of the examples) or leukemia (commonly called as blood cancers), lymphoma; which are known to have high chances of recurrence in spite of successful completion of standard of care treatment.
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Ayurveda Supportive Treatments
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Ayurveda supportive treatments mainly address the symptom relief during or after ongoing & after cancer treatments:
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Post-surgery & pre-radiotherapy nutritional support
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Radiation induced Oral mucositis, Radiation cystitis, Radiation proctitis
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Chemotherapy induced Nausea & vomiting, mucositis
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Fatigue, loss of appetite during cancer treatments
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Ayurveda Treatments in Palliative conditions
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Palliative care treatments are mainly for those patients who progress in spite of maximum possible standard treatments for cancers. Along with conventional Palliative care, adding Ayurveda medicines helping terminally ill patients.
The objectives of Integrative Cancer Care can further be divided as follows:
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To improve Disease Free Survival (DFS)
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To improve Progression Free Survival (PFS)
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To improve Overall Survival (OS)
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To educate & aware about the hereditary / genetic cancers
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To create awareness for prevention of Cancer: Primary prevention, Secondary prevention
Schemes (if any)::
At present no direct schemes are available for Integrative Cancer Care
Forthcoming Event Details:
The department is going to get support from an efficient Panchakarma Center, which will expand spectrum of Integrative Cancer Care for patients undergoing Cancer Treatments in DMH.
Proposed additional integration: Therapeutic Yoga for Cancer patients
Direct Telephone/Fax/EMail
020-4015 1005, 4915 2002
integrativeoncology@dmhospital.org
Consultant
Dr. Pankaj Wanjarkhedkar
MD Ayurveda
PG Proficiency in Panchakarma
OPD Schedule:
Availability: Tuesday to Saturday