RASAYANA
Ayurveda has eight different specialties and Rasayana is one of them. Ayurveda defines Rasayana Therapy as a therapy that prevents or delays aging and also treats diseases. Rasayana Therapy aims towards the restoration of health, strengthening of body tissues, increasing life span, preventing diseases, and improving quality of life in addition to treatment of diseases.
Various factors are taken into consideration before prescribing specific Rasayana for cancer. They are; (i) life forces i.e. Vata, Pitta, Kapha, (ii) affected tissues/organ/system, (iii) nature of patient, (iv) place of resident, (v) time, (vi) age, (vii) sex, (viii) physical strength, (ix) causative factors for the cancer, (x) symptoms, (xi) impact of diseases on body, (xii) associated known comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease etc. of the patients and its thorough clinical assessment on Ayurvedic parameters. Rasayana therapy is personalised form of treatment and a physician has to consider these factors in each case.
The main objective of this therapy is to increase the strength of healthy cells, tissues, and various systems of the body and maintain its dynamic equilibrium and homeostasis. This helps managing the immunity of the body. Balanced immunity triggers programmed cell death called apoptosis. In this way, Rasayana therapy has the potential to deal with cancer cells naturally. Management of immunity also reduces the effects of tumors on the body and thus increases the quality of life of patients. This line of treatment is being used by Rasayu Cancer Clinic for treating various cancers for the last 25 years.
The clinical work is supported by systematic scientific research. Today research has identified the relationship between aging and cancer and anti-aging Rasayana has a potential role to play in cancer therapeutics. Even though we are highlighting only the potential of Rasayana Therapy in cancer, it would be worthwhile to mention that Rasayana has a great role to play in almost all types of diseases associated with degeneration, aging, mindfullness and immunity.
Enhance quality of life with Rasayana Therapy
Who can receive Rasayana therapy ?
Age
Rasayana therapy acts on cancer cells by virtue of its immunomodulatory mechanism. As it is immunomodulatory, it is seen to be effective for cancer patients of all ages. Rasayu Cancer Clinic treats patients of all age groups. The youngest patient who has taken this therapy was a baby born with cancer and the oldest patient was of age 95 years. This indicates Rasayana can be taken by individuals of all age groups.
Stage
Patients of all stages of cancer can have Rasayana therapy. However, objective of Rasayana may vary from stage to stage and patient to patient.
Sex
Patients of all genders can take Rasayana therapy.
Newly Diagnosed Cancer patients in primary stage
Our documentation suggest that newly diagnosed Cancer patients may benefit greatly by use of Rasayana therapy. In primary stages of cancer, the possibility of better treatment outcome is very high. At this stage the cancer has not spread to any other tissues and hence it can be removed surgically. The next main task is to ensure that patients live a maximum life without recurrence of the disease. This is referred as Disease-Free Survival (DFS). Increase in DFS is the main objective at this stage. It may vary from patient to patient and the cancer type. It can be a few years to entire life.
Patients at the primary stage of cancer are advised to remove their tumors surgically and to take Rasayana Therapy. Rasayana not only helps such patients to have a good quality of life but it also helps to delay relapse or progression of cancer. Rasayana can also be taken post-surgery along with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.
Patients receiving conventional therapies
Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and other conventional cancer treatments can cause severe reactions. Cancer patients suffer from various physical and mental symptoms and the adverse reactions of Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy add to the sufferings of such patients. Rasayana Therapy is a great help for such patients. It balances the immunity and strengthens tissues so that patient can sustain the sessions of Chemotherapy / Radiotherapy with least discomfort. It also helps normal cells of the body to restore normalcy to overcome the assault of anti-cancer therapies. Rasayana Therapy is considerably beneficial in managing the side effects of anticancer therapies such as hospital-borne infections, vomiting, recurrent blood transfusions, oral mucositis, nausea, fatigue etc.
Rasayana Therapy does not cause any interaction with Chemotherapy. This has been proved by a series of studies of patient reported outcomes which demonstrated that Rasayana Therapy does not significantly affect the drug metabolizing enzyme system.
Patients receiving conventional therapy may simultaneously start Rasayana therapy. It is observed that tolerance of the conventional therapy increases in patients on Rasayana therapy.
Patients who have completed conventional therapies
Patients who have completed the conventional therapies and are in remission, still carry the risk of recurrence at local / distal site of the cancer. Such patients can also take Rasayana therapy to increase disease-free survival along with quality of life.
Post-surgical resection
Surgical resection in cancer is removal of tumorous growth. Surgical resection is of great help to improve therapeutic outcomes in cancer patients. When the role of surgeon is over the main challenge is to prevent/ delay the progression or relapse of the disease. Rasayana Therapy is potentially effective in achieving this objective. Rasayana also helps the patient to recover faster after the surgery and overcome the physical and mental symptoms experienced by the patient.
Residual tumor
Patients with active residual tumor after conventional therapy like surgery; chemotherapy; radiotherapy; immunotherapy can also have Rasayana therapy for progression-free survival.
Patients with relapse or recurrent malignancy
Relapse or recurrence of cancer is a nightmare for cancer patients. Moreover, there are no proven remedies in conventional medicine which can reduce 100% risk of cancer relapse. Rasayana Therapy modulates the immunity and helps strengthening all the body tissues and help to defend itself from relapse or progression of disease.
Patient with non-responding tumors to conventional therapies (Resistant cases)
If tumors have not responded to first-line chemotherapy, it means chemo-resistance has developed and, in such conditions, oncologists may advise the 2nd, 3rd or even more lines of chemotherapy or other conventional treatments like targeted therapy or immunotherapy. In such cases, it is reported that there are chances of failure of these additional therapies because of the development of cross-resistance.
In such conditions, Rasayana therapy can be given along with any line of chemotherapy or any conventional treatments as a complimentary therapy to maintain immunity and reduce the effect of disease progression due to resistance. It may also help increase tolerance to conventional cancer treatments.
Patients who have exhausted all lines of chemotherapy without tangible results find positive results with Rasayan therapy.
Cancer patients in advanced stage
Advanced stage cancer patients generally suffer severe physical and mental symptoms which severely affect their quality of life. Chemotherapy in advanced stage cancer patient has a very limited role to play. Adverse reactions to medications and requirement of frequent hospitalisation makes their life miserable. The main therapeutic objective in advanced stage cancer patients is to prolong the survival with improved quality of life. Rasayana Therapy is potentially effective in reducing various physical and mental symptoms in such patients. It not only increases the survival of patients but also helps them to live each day of their life to its fullest. It provides excellent quality of life in such patients and significantly reduces the requirement of in-patient hospitalisation. Such patients can thus spend more quality time with their loved ones. We have observed even complete tumor response and more than five years survival in advanced stage cancer patients undergoing Rasayana Therapy.
Patient who is not fit or not willing to take any conventional therapy
Patients with poor physical strength cannot be advised or not indicated for conventional therapy. Many patients are aware about adverse effects of conventional therapy, especially whose risk benefit ratio is not favorable. They would want to avoid conventional treatment. Rasayana therapy can be a potential option to such patients.
Potential Secondary prevention / To increase disease free survival
If complete resection is achieved after surgery or complete tumor regression achieved in response to any conventional treatment, Rasayana therapy may be advised to help improve the disease-free survival.
Potential Primary prevention
Some people are at high risk of developing cancer due to genetic reasons, certain health related conditions or due to professional hazards etc. Rasayana Therapy plays a very important role in reducing the risk of cancer in such patients. Rasayana acts as an immunomodulator which also strengthens and protects all the body tissues. People in professions where they are exposed to smoking, carcinogenic chemicals, pesticides, ionizing radiations and even asbestos are at a high risk of developing cancer and they can potentially reduce their risk by having Rasayana treatment. Recent studies have showed that working in shift duties increases cancer risk; moreover, patients suffering from diabetes, do carry significant risk of getting cancer. In all such patients Rasayana Therapy has the potential to help in primary prevention of cancer.
Rasayana therapy can be started by any patient at any point after diagnosis with varied objectives.