Cricketer-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has again sparked a row when he announced that his wife reversed her breast cancer by following a very strict lifestyle, including raw turmeric and neem in her diet, along with sour fruits. The Tata Memorial Hospital has released a strong statement asking patients to not go by these unverified and callous statements made by public figures. “Cancer, needs radiation therapy and chemo treatment,” oncologists pan India echo this sentiment
File photo of Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife outside Parliament (Photo credit: PTI)
New Delhi: It is necessary that we begin this piece with a statement rather than an analysis — “Cancer is curable if detected early. Proven treatments of cancer include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy” — The Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai stressed on this as the only correct diagnosis of cancer, be it breast cancer or cervical, blood cancer or cancer of the stomach. A good lifestyle can go a long way in making the condition less severe and may also, in certain cases, aid the treatment for better outcomes. But, changes in lifestyle cannot be considered as the first (or even only) course of action to deal with the deadly, often life threatening disease. Navjot Singh Sidhu’s viral post on how his wife beat breast cancer by following a strict diet with utmost discipline is to be taken only as a reminder for us to follow a healthy diet, not as a serious means to defeat cancerous cells growing in the body.
Let it be known that there is no fixed, or even a permanent solution to the problem of cancer. There are umpteen studies and research being conducted to come up with ideas that can shape our knowledge of the disease and help in prognosis. But medical fraternity is still looking for answers to the very basic questions on cancer, its incidence, treatment and can it be prevented from the very start. In the absence of complete knowledge, doctors tell you to avoid spreading half-baked information. Especially, celebrities and other known public faces must refrain from using their status to disseminate medical information.
“The general public looks up to such popular faces for advise on day-to-day happenings. Most of them don’t have access to general hospitals, cancer wards are further out of their reach. If they hear statements in a public domain allaying their fear of the disease, they are bound to follow them. In the process, such people may end up losing time for proper treatment. We all know time is of essence when dealing with cancer,” says Dr Mohit Agarwal, an oncologist based in New Delhi.
He said, they said
A few days ago, the legendary cricketer made waves when he spoke of how his wife became “cancer-free” by following what he termed an extremely disciplined lifestyle during her recovery. “Her routine included lemon water, raw turmeric, apple cider vinegar, neem leaves, and tulsi. She consumed juices made from pumpkin, pomegranate, amla, beetroot, and walnuts, along with sour fruits. Her diet focused on anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer foods. Cooking was done using coconut oil, cold-pressed oils, or almond oil. Her morning tea was infused with cinnamon, cloves, jaggery, and cardamom,” he wrote in a post that quickly went viral with millions of his fans expressing their anguish at such a news.
Sidhu’s document went on about how his wife dealt with cancer not “because we had money but because she was disciplined and followed a strict routine. Cancer can be treated effectively even at government hospitals,” he emphasised.
Following this document, the medical community was up in arms. Some of the oncologists claimed that Sidhu was “misguiding” his followers by not documenting the formal treatment that his wife underwent at a reputed cancer ward.
“Why has he not mentioned about the battery of oncologists who have involved in her upkeep during the entire period in which she was diagnosed with the disease? What about the immunotherapy treatment that his wife underwent or even the radiation therapy that she took to defeat cancer?,” queried Dr Agarwal.
Like we have mentioned at the onset of the article, a healthy diet that Sidhu has so proudly mentioned in his post, is known to have certain medical relief-giving properties but there is no concrete evidence that suggests that Neem or Tulsi or sour fruits alone can deal with cancer cells. Tata Memorial Hospital statement also puts this argument to rest.
Neem and tulsi may have medicinal value, can’t CURE cancer
It is true that global health and medical practice have for ages wanting to merge alternative medicine with evidence-based medicine for a better understanding of how the metabolic process works in the human body. An example that some doctors cite is the use of complementary medicine like phytotherapy. “Azadirachta indica (Neem), a tree originally from India and Myanmar, has shown to work from anywhere from insect repellent, to supplements to lower inflammation and diabetic control. But it is not the first course of action and it also depends on the condition of the disease when it has been diagnosed,” says Dr Dheeraj Malviya, a ayurvedic physician.
He adds, that while long term benefits of neem and tulsi are documented, improper and unstandardised conditions to produce extracts can lead to health issues, “particularly certain compounds might have damaging effects on the liver and kidneys,” he tells us.
So how efficacious are neem and tulsi extracts exactly? “They can be utilised for antibacterial properties but not in serious illnesses,” Malviya added, throwing caution to wind.
Cancer can only be treated with formal therapies
An oncologist by profession, Dr Vineet Govind Gupta, says most forms of cancer, especially cancer of the breast or cervix, can be treated if diagnosed at an early stage. But it will require all available formal therapies, including multiple rounds of radiation, chemotherapy and other immunotherapy treatments as advised by your oncologist.
“Every cancer is different and requires a different line of treatment module. There is no one fixed rule that governs all cancerous cells. Radiation therapy, for instance, is effective because cancer cells grow and divide faster than normal cells, making them more susceptible to radiation damage. This therapy can be used as the only treatment for cancer, or it can be combined with other treatments like surgery or chemotherapy,” informs Dr Gupta.
A blood cancer oncologist, says radiation therapy can be used to shrink tumors before surgery, which is called neo-adjuvant therapy. Explaining in strict medical terms, Dr Ashutosh Bhatnagar from AIIMS said, “The way radiation works is that te therapy uses high-energy particles or waves, such as x-rays, gamma rays, electron beams, or protons. This damages the DNA of cancer cells and accurately prevents the cells from growing and dividing. The radiation eventually causes them to die,” Bhatnagar explains the importance of killing the cancerous cells in order to restrict its growth and ensure it doesn’t come back.
Editor’s note: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers found in women in India. It accounts for over a quarter of all female cancers prevalent in the country. In terms of percentages, this cancer is seen in as many as 30 per cent of individuals in India with a considerable mortality rate if not diagnosed early. About 90,000 people died from breast cancer last year. Following a healthy diet is a must to aid in your journey towards defeating cancer. But treatment is the only recourse. Since time is of essence here, any delay is not advisable.
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