When someone is diagnosed with cancer, they go through a period of shock, numbness and disbelief. This is how the mind protects the cancer patient from having to process more information and emotion that he/she
can handle.

Cancer has become a symbol in our culture for everything bad: relentless, out of control, sneaky, evil and deadly. Cancer brings up fear of pain, death, loss of control , surgeries and procedures, damaging radiation
and toxic chemotherapy.  The patient may feel isolated, different from other people, and even ashamed.
Cancer diagnosis affects not only the patient, but also everyone involved in his life.

Being a Histology Specialist, I was familiar with the various types of cancer and with the latest cancer research and treatments. However, when my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and my mother with oral cancer, I felt helpless . I knew about the latest and the best treatment options for them, but I realized that my parents needed other " weapons " to help them fight the cancer, and to enable them to cope with the reality of cancer, cancer treatment, and all the problems and complications associated with these. It was then that I became very interested in complementary therapies.

I started to look at the role of Aromatherapy, Psychotherapy & Counselling, Relaxation Therapy, Iridology and Kinesiology in cancer care.

Aromatherapy

A cancer diagnosis and treatment creates stress, anxiety fear and uncertainty. Aromatherapy can help cancer patients to relax and it can help to create a feeling of well being as they progress from diagnosis, through treatment, and for many, into survivorship.  Aromatherapy may provide comfort and relaxation to cancer patients as they cope with day to day living with cancer. Aromatherapy, as part of patient care, can give terminally ill patients a source of relaxation, at a time when they face the difficulties of accepting and dealing with their illness.

An investigation into the benefits of Aromatherapy massage in palliative care was done by the Centre for the Study of Complementary Medicine at Countess Mountbatten House in Southampton, England. An audit was conducted into the effects of Aromatherapy massage on cancer patients in palliative care and terminal care.
Individual patients were referred for the therapy either to aid in relaxation, or because they were in pain, anxious or depressed. Aromatherapy essential oils were specifically chosen by a trained aromatherapist, and diluted to half normal strength, because of fears that the aromas may have been overpowering for terminally ill patients.

The essential oils which were used most often were lavender, chamomile, and marjoram. The study started in January 1993, and lasted 6 months. The treatment was done for 4 hours per week, and was administered in the ward, with patients either sitting at their bedside, or in their beds, whichever was more comfortable for the patient.

After each session, the patients were asked to complete a questionnaire to evaluate the perceived benefits of the aromatherapy.  The results revealed that eighty one per cent stated that they either felt better or very relaxed after the treatment. Sixty two percent of the patients reported that the benefits lasted several hours. A further twenty five percent stated that the benefits lasted more than a day. Eighty per cent said that they would like to receive aromatherapy massage more than once a week.  The report concluded that the patients showed courage in coming to terms with their illness, and the stresses and strains of its many side effects, while still retaining their dignity and pride. This showed that Aromatherapy massage is of great value.

When a woman is diagnosed with uterine cancer, aromatherapy treatment with essential oils alleviates the stress and anxiety that is a consequence of cancer, and it also treats the skin before and after irradiation, to prevent radiation burns. Choice of oils which can be used to make a tummy rub are Geranium, Cedarwood, Rose, Myrrh, Niaouli, and Lemon.

According to "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy" by Valerie Ann Worwood, the following is a good formula for the treatment of irradiation burns :
Lavender 10 drops
German Chamomile 5 drops
Roman Chamomile 5 drops
Tagetes 5 drops
Yarrow 5 drops

Dilute in two tablespoons of vinca-infused oil or two tablespoons of marigold-infused oil.

The base oil used for this treatment is very important. Although vegetable oil can be used, vinca and marigold oils are better options. The periwinkle, from which vinca is made, contains certain alkaloids which, in some cases, can suppress the cancerous cells when taken in the form of drugs. The irradiation oil mixture is applied once a day, to clean and dry skin.  Cover the entire torso, including the lower back and abdomen, paying particular attention to the trauma area.  In the case of uterine cancer, rub well into the tummy. In the case of testicular cancer rub well into the testis. In the case of breast cancer, rub well into the breasts and so on.

Aromatherapy plays a supportive, uplifting role in the multidisciplinary care of cancer patients. Aromatherapy, as part of patient care, can be a source of relaxation, at a time when they are facing the difficulties of accepting and dealing with their illness.

Psychotherapy and Counselling

Thanks to research, many women, men and young people survive cancer and are able to lead full, productive lives, both while they are undergoing treatment and afterwards.  Cancer, like other serious illnesses, can be accompanied by depression.  The latter can affect the mind, mood, body and behaviour of a person. Treatment for depression, however, helps patients to manage both the cancer and the depression, thus enhancing survival as well as the quality of life.

People who are diagnosed with cancer will experience many stresses and emotional upheavals. Some of these are fear of death, changes in body image and self esteem, lifestyle, changes in social role, amongst others.  Depression amongst cancer patients may impact the course of the disease and the patient's ability to participate in treatment.

Psychotherapy with cancer patients is performed within several formats including individual, family, couples, and group psychotherapy. The type of psychotherapy format is chosen by patient variables, such as his physical, preference or coping style.

Supportive Psychotherapy refers to the use of a supportive-expressive model, in which a psychotherapist provides emotional support, encourages the expression of feelings and thoughts, and helps with the strengthening and developing of coping skills.  The objective of supportive psychotherapy is to manage the limitations associated with cancer, while continuing to live a meaningful life and setting smaller, more reachable goals.

In cancer care, supportive therapy tends to be non-analytical, focusing on present circumstances, rather than examining the past. Emphasis is placed on communication with others instead of introspection. In these sessions, many therapists teach strategies to control cancer pain.

Studies have been done to evaluate the effects of psychotherapy on pain in cancer patients.  In one study, Spiegel et al randomly assigned women with metastatic breast cancer to weekly group psychotherapy, while a control group received only routine oncologic care. In the psychotherapy group, members explored existential and practical issues related to living with cancer, including fears surrounding death and the dying process, family adjustment, and communication with physicians.

Psycho-social measures were taken on all participants in this study, every four months, for one year. After this period, those in the experimental group reported being significantly less tense, less depressed, less fatigued, and less confused than those in the control group. These participants reported that they had more vigour, fewer maladaptive coping responses (such as overeating, drinking, smoking), as well as fewer phobias than the control subjects.  Differences were subjectively noticeable at four and eight months, but were not statistically significant until the 12th. month.

With regard to pain over the one year period, control subjects reported a great increase in the sensation of pain, while those in the treatment sample reported no change in pain levels.  In fact, by the end of the year, reports of pain in the treatment group were half that of the control group. As far as suffering with pain was concerned, the control patients experienced an increase, while the treatment group experienced a decrease.

Changes related to pain were found to be significantly related to changes in mood states. For the treatment group, improvements in overall mood were associated with a decrease in the sensation of pain. However, for the control group members, increases in pain duration were significantly related to increases in overall mood disturbance , and specifically to increases in anxiety, depression, or fatigue.

The surprise came when these researchers undertook a ten-year follow-up study designed to show that, although the quality of life had improved, the time of survival was not affected. Dr Spiegel and the other researchers were astounded with the results.  They discovered that the patients who entered the therapy group lived nearly twice as long as those in their control group.  Dr Spiegel's discovery supports what many psychotherapists have been trying to prove, that a simple support group can dramatically prolong survival.

Research shows that having a good social support system , a fighting spirit, and a positive outlook can lead to a good prognosis for survival. Also, having a sense of joy in life and future-oriented goals may help patients
overcome cancer. On the other hand, depression and feeling helpless are correlated with a poor prognosis.

Ultimately, it is the personal experiences of the therapists and patients involved in psychological treatments for cancer that give meaning to their efforts. It is in these person-to-person exchanges that real change takes place.

Relaxation Therapy

The many benefits of relaxation have been known to many cultures for thousands of years and they have been rediscovered and validated by western science.  In 1972 Dr. Herbert Benson and Richard Wallace published a groundbreaking article in Scientific American titled "The Physiology of Meditation".  Their research showed specific physiological changes during and between meditation sessions. These changes were the opposite of what was seen in the stress response. The meditators  had lower blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and their cells used less oxygen than usual. They also cleared waste products out of their muscle tissues four to five times more effectively than they would, even during sleep. Dr. Benson called this the "Relaxation Response". 

Although the original research studied people trained in transcendental meditation, later findings showed that these effects are produced by many forms of relaxation.

The relaxation response is a specific physiological state, which is different from active waking or sleeping. It appears that, in that state, the body and mind are able to save energy, refresh and repair.

During our busy modern lives, our physiology very seldom gets the chance to be in this "refresh and repair" mode, unless we take time to make it happen.  By practicing relaxation on a regular basis, your body and mind have the opportunity to go into this rest, renewal and repair state. The body can use more of its energy for repair and healing.

Regular relaxation practise interrupts the stress response and induces the relaxation response. There are other benefits too.  Firstly, you will probably feel better while you are relaxing , and in between, knowing that you can relax when you wish to. As you relax, you are likely to feel more in control of yourself and better able to cope with the issues at hand.  Secondly, relaxation teaches you how to focus inwardly.

Visualisation is a technique used in relaxation therapy which yields excellent results in cancer care. It can be used to help patients cope with different aspects of cancer in many different ways, even to help patients cope
with chemotherapy.  Many people discontinue chemotherapy prematurely because of the anticipation of side effects.  Visualisation can help prevent this, by reducing or eliminating emotional and physical side effects of many chemotherapy regimens, and it can enable the patient to make the best use of them.

According to Martin L. Rossman, MD, in the book " Fighting Cancer from Within", there are four important elements that should be included :

1) Deep relaxation in which the natural healing elements of the body work at their best, thus protecting the normal cells ( especially those that are most vulnerable and that one is concerned about).
2) Visualising the chemotherapy medications effectively and completely destroying any cancer cells.
3) Visualising an aggressive immune response mopping up any debris or remaining cancer cells in whatever condition they are found.
4) Visualising yourself enjoying the benefits of a successful treatment and doing the things you love to do with the people you love to do them with.

Ideally all four types should be used at different times.

These visualisations can be used to prepare a patient before chemotherapy (use them once or twice a day for a week prior to receiving chemotherapy) and then do them frequently while you are receiving chemotherapy, and for the five days following each chemotherapy session.  There is evidence that visualisation helps to reduce pain and also helps people undergoing surgery and radiation therapy.

The best results are achieved when progressive muscle relaxation is done before a visualisation session . This achieves excellent results in the reduction of pain, whether the pain is caused by the cancer (e.g. pain caused by tumour growth) or as a result of cancer treatment.

Relaxation Therapy can also greatly reduce stress and tension which accompanies cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment. Prolonged anxiety affects the ability of the immune system to function. The more relaxed and peaceful a person feels, the easier it is for the body to heal. It follows that a cancer patient who is relaxed will have a positive attitude, which in turn allows the body to heal better. Therefore, it is obvious that Relaxation Therapy plays an extremely important role in cancer care.

Iridology

Since I could find little information about the role of Iridology in cancer care, I decided to contact the leading cancer treatment hospitals and cancer organisations in the United States, to find out if they were using Iridology as part of their cancer treatment protocol.  I contacted the Cancer Treatment Centres of America, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, U.S.A. and the American Cancer Society.

The information that I obtained from all the above mentioned institutions was that all of them are using complementary therapies as part of their cancer treatment programs.  The therapies used include Aromatherapy, Relaxation Therapy, Psychotherapy Counselling, Hydrotherapy, Music Therapy, Art Therapy, and others. However, Iridology is not being used in any of the cancer centres that I contacted

When I asked the reason why Iridology is not being used in these cancer centers and hospitals, I was told by each of these institutions that they were not familiar with Iridology. In fact, they had no idea what Iridology is.  Every person that I spoke to was very interested in learning more about Iridology. They were very keen to find out how Iridology could be used to benefit their cancer patients.

Iridology does not show or name a specific disease but can help determine which organs or areas in the body are under stress or weakened.  Cancer causes stress and weaknesses in the areas where the cancer is found. When the cancer has spread, other body organs and systems are affected too. Cancer treatment itself taxes the immune system, which leaves the cancer patient more vulnerable and susceptible to infections and other health problems.

Often, secondary health problems caused by cancer or by cancer treatment, cannot be identified until the patient is already showing the physical symptoms of those illnesses.  This is why I believe that Iridology could play an important role in cancer care.  An Iridologist could examine the irises of the cancer patient when he/she is diagnosed with cancer, prior to receiving treatment for cancer, or while the cancer patient is undergoing treatment, as well as after the cancer treatment is complete.  This would enable the iridologist to pinpoint the areas in the body that are showing weaknesses as this is where potential problems could arise. In this way they could then be rectified before physical symptoms appear.

I believe that this would save cancer patients from going through more health problems at a time when they need to feel strong in order to fight the cancer and the problems associated with cancer treatment. Iridology
would be an important tool to achieve that goal.  It would enable the iridologist to determine what is going on inside the body of the cancer patient, from a simple, painless and economical external vantage point.

Kinesiology

Kinesiology, another excellent diagnostic tool, is so named because it uses muscle tests as bio-feedback indicators to ascertain the imbalances held within our bodies to uncover the source of the problem and to help offer solutions to restore and balance the mind-body-spirit equilibrium.

Our bodies have been pre-programmed to sustain life. Each cell, organ and energy system is genetically encoded to work for the continued survival of the organism. Our brains acts as switching centres which channel this energy into action in order to maintain body function, coordinate messages, store data and retrieve information. Therefore, as connections are made, energy flows and intelligence is communicated. It's as if our bodies can talk !  This is why tapping into this communication through muscle testing works.

Kinesiology is important as a way of identifying imbalances in the body before any physical symptoms appear. By identifying such imbalances and by addressing and correcting the causes of such imbalances, kinesiology can prevent disease.  When disease is already present, as when a patient is diagnosed with cancer, kinesiology can play a very important role. The cancer itself and the cancer treatment cause various imbalances in the body, which can give rise to other health problems. If these problems are not identified and
addressed, the patient's ability to fight the cancer may be compromised. On the other hand, if kinesiology is used to identify and correct such problems, the body has a better chance of healing.

Toxicity affects the immune system. The more toxic the body, the lower the immunity.  The importance of diet and nutrition as a healthy foundation of the immune system cannot be stressed enough. Maintaining healthy immune cells and rebuilding lymphatic tissue depend on diet.

By using kinesiology, any factors and deficiencies which can be affecting a cancer patient can be identified and corrected. This in turn will enable the cancer patient's body to heal.  Kinesiology is a true "holistic" or "wholistic" system, because it looks at the person as a whole, not just selected parts of the body.  Kinesiology, therefore, can be an important ingredient in cancer care.

Conclusion

Holistic / Wholistic Therapies play a very important role in cancer care. Aromatherapy, Psychotherapy, Counselling and Relaxation Therapy are already well established components in cancer care in the Western World. In hospices, where a cure is no longer a prerogative, these therapies are widely used. However, Kinesiology and Iridology are not being widely used as yet. I feel that this is due to the fact that the medical profession, as well as the public, are not aware of the value of Kinesiology and Iridology.  Research is needed to show that these can play an important role on holistic cancer care.  Therefore, Complementary Therapists must strive to educate the medical professionals and the public about the value of each individual therapy.  Complementary therapies do not often cure cancer on their own, but they can play a crucial role in helping cancer patients and their families to face and to overcome the challenges caused by this serious and frightening illness.

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