When the duodenal cancer was detected, most of the concern of me and my family was about the whipple surgery and the strength required for the Chemo therapy and radio therapy etc after the surgery. My wife was feeding me with Pomengrate juice and all those vegetables supposed to increase my strength for the surgery. A friend advised me to take some Ayurvedic medications and I consulted a doctor who gave me some medicines to increase my strength and immunity. As I was advised to select the surgeon who has the most experience in this type of surgery I selected some old experienced hands..But as I consulted some young specialists, I found them to be methodical and even in their very first physical they could detect a lump in my left throat which I myself never noticed before as it was painless and not much visible.
Apart from the Biopsy of the stomach lump, now I was advised to do a FCNA needle biopsy to find about the throat lump. I was advised to do wedge biopsy even if the needle biopsy turns negative.The older doctors advised me to remove the lump altogether. Mean while I was advised to do the PET scan and its report was given utmost importance.This revealed that the tumour has metastasized.The report says "Primary tumour in the D2 segment of the region of the ampulla. 2. Metastasis to peri-pancreatic, mediastinal,left supra clavicular and level III cervical lymph nodes.." The young doctors advised me against going for surgery and also Chemo therapy.They advised me to wait for some symptomatic pain and address the problem as and when it occurs.They also said they can give Palliative chemotherapy just to please the patients as they found this to be normal practice My wife did not accept this and we have to go for various opinions from outside of my local consultants and confirm the findings. Ofcourse the older doctors still preferred surgery of the primary as well as secondary tumours.
All these investigations entailed lot of running around to various hospitals and meeting doctors, getting reports, etc etc.I could not have done it but for a friend who is young and working.He was always there and when he went on tour he ensured one of his colleagues came as my escort. I will say even sons do not do that much while he was just an old neighbor. I consider these people as angels who come in human form to help people in need. I thank God for these mercies.
After lot of thinking ( which included talk with some some cancer patients and families) and prayers I decided to go by my answer to the prayers and not to go for surgery which also had support of my wife.
Now I have to look for alternate therapies available in India.As i am already under Ayurvedic medications I decided to stick with it as it has so far saved me from the stomach pain which I was getting recently.Vegetarian diet is rather difficult to maintain for a person who is used to take daily Non vegetarian food.But then one has to survive for the family and also keep away from pain. I have zeroed in on some of the centres in my city and I am providing links to some of the cures as provided by my well wishers.I repeat I have not tested or used their medications to tell the efficacy of them. I am keeping them as alternate when I feel the pain or face some other problem.
http://www.men-tsee-khang.org/ ( Tibetan system of Medicine)
http://www.cowurine.com/cancer.html ( Indore HQtrs therapy )
http://www.whale.to/w/orthodox_herbs.html (Herbal treatment
http://www.asiancancer.com/ ( this is a modern Chinese hospital which gives the latest
cancer treatment and also provides Alternate therapy in the form of ancient Chinese therapy where modern cancer surgery or chemo therapy could not be provided)
http://www.chineseclinicindia.com/Cancer-Treatment.html#doctor ( These two doctors claim to cure cancer with Chinese herbal treatment)
http://www.cancercliniconline.com/776/index.html ( another Chinese herbal doctor)
I also got a SIDDA medicine phone number who is from my home district and visits Madras once a month. On inquiry it was found this man is a 'Nattu vaidyar'. But his treatment has worked in some down's syndrome cases.
All the above alternate sytems are functioning in India without any valid certification from Indian Government's AYUSH department. Nobody knows whether anybody found any cure or whether they are utilizing the patients and their families view of trying out something as last resort.and pocket some money in the bargain.
I feel that AYUSH should open a AYUSH CLINIC WITHIN the confines of Regional cancer centres of Government of India so that they are systematically tried out and found out about the efficacy of the treatments through proper research. I think Indian Government should look at the Asian cancer center of China and how they have amalgamated the Chinese system of medicine with that of modern allopathic treatment. When will India learn?
