It is common for people who are recently diagnosed with a disease to explore every single possible treatment out there, especially with a rare disease such as mesothelioma. This is also including complementary and alternative medicine such as dieting, herbs, supplement, and acupuncture.
Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are common in the treatment for mesothelioma patients. However, these treatments plans are not anticipated to cure patients with this disease.
However, for one woman, two-holiday plants, mistletoe, and winter rose, helped to control her pleural mesothelioma diagnoses. The woman used extracts of these plants that possibly increased her lifetime and wellness.
Stories like this can give hope to others diagnosed. If you are considering an alternative method to regain control of your life, this story may be helpful for you and your doctor.
Conventional vs Alternative Treatment
This clinical case was reported in 2017 in the Journal of Thoracic Disease. The clinical case was a German woman, 64, who was diagnosed with stage 3 epithelioid pleural mesothelioma. Samples of her tumor were sent to the German mesothelioma registry for confirmation.
The patient refused to be treated with conventional treatments (radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and pleurodesis).
The woman consulted with a general practitioner with the qualifications to administer mistletoe (Viscum album) and winter rose extracts (Helleborus niger). She received monthly injections and infusions of mistletoe extract for 50 months, while only receiving winter rose extract was received periodically, but not every month.
She received medications and other alternative therapies to help her with emotional distress, disease´s symptomatology, and other resulting chronic conditions like insomnia and hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) as well.
Clinical Case Results
The woman’s performance and general health improved in the first 6 weeks of the alternative treatment. The tumor decreased in size and many of her symptoms disappeared. This was including her cough.
For 38 months, the disease stabilized and living for 56 months (nearly 5 years) after being diagnosed. During a major part of that time, she felt well. She never received conventional treatments.
Approximately 17% of mesothelioma patients with similar characteristics will live only for 2 years after being diagnosed and just 4% will live 5 years after the diagnosis.
Taking into consideration previous statistics, this patient lived for 4 years and 8 months without receiving any kind of conventional treatment.
Plants Give Medical Inspiration
Herb-based therapies are now a big part of many disease treatment plans, including cancer. More than 50% of medication used for cancer are made from plant substances, either by using the plant’s extracts or modifying their chemical structure into a drug.
Even the simplest plants, such as garden flowers, are becoming more and more important. A recent study showed that the natural substances found in daffodils have anticancer benefits, giving the possibility of finding these in regular cancer treatments one day.
According to some mesothelioma survivors, the use of moringa tree leaves, which have high levels of protein, antioxidants, calcium, and iron, have increased their life expectancy and general health.
Considering All the Options After a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Deciding what to do after being diagnosed with mesothelioma is a personal choice. Talking with your oncology team, obtaining second opinions, asking about clinical trials, and knowing more about conventional and alternative treatment options can help you make your decision.
Complementary and alternative medicine can give new hopes to mesothelioma patients. Studies show that this type of medicine can help mesothelioma patients in a vast number of ways by giving a sense of control, improving the quality of life, and helping to manage symptomatology and side effects.
Search for Cancer Centers that Offer Integrative Oncology
Integrative oncology is the combination of conventional, complementary, and alternative cancer treatments that more and more cancer centers are offering this option to the patients.
If you are receiving treatment at a large cancer center, ask the specialists if there is a certified and qualified doctor who can provide that kind of treatment or if you need to find someone on your own.
Besides these treatments, many large treatment centers offer a vast number of supportive therapies such as nutrition and dieting consultations, acupuncture sessions, massages, psychotherapies, among others. As mentioned above, you always have the option to pursue these on your own.
The alternative methods used specifically in this mesothelioma clinical case are already available in Germany. However, in the United States, the use of mistletoe extract is not yet approved but is available in certain clinical trials.
Regimens based on complementary and alternative treatments are not proven to cure mesothelioma but may increase your chances of having a longer and healthier life. The important thing is not to demoralize and keep searching for the best treatment for you.
For more concise information on mesothelioma alternative treatments, check out The Asbestos Cancer Organization and their information here: https://asbestoscancer.org/mesothelioma-alternative-treatments/
Media Contact
Company Name: The Asbestos Cancer Organization
Contact Person: Donovan J. Greening
Email: Send Email
Phone: 2482250882
Address:One Towne Square #1835
City: Southfield
State: MI 48076
Country: United States
Website: asbestoscancer.org