CANCER
A Holistic Aproach

by by Ella Woods, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. Oriental Medicine; Aarti Sabhlok, DVM, Board-qualified (Oncology); David B.Y. Fong, DVM, LAc, Dipl. Oriental Medicine

Cancer. You hear the diagnosis and you are devastated.
Last week, your dog was her wonderful self. Over the weekend, something was not quite right, so you took her to her veterinarian on Monday to be checked out. After a number of tests and procedures, the verdict is cancer. So hard to believe, so hard to take in.
But things have changed in the world of veterinary oncology, much like they have in human oncology. As effective therapies are found to treat human cancer, these therapies often find their way into the treatment protocols used by veterinary oncologists. These new therapies include many of the same chemotherapy and radiation treatments being used in human medicine, carefully adapted for use in dogs and cats. Increasingly, even more is offered.
The field of cancer care for humans has long been at the forefront of inclusiveness,  incorporating multiple types of treatment to help patients tolerate their often aggressive Western medical protocols. For example, programs such as the Osher centers at UCSF Medical Center and Harvard Medical School have long offered thoughtful, integrative programs for cancer patients that include acupuncture and Chinese medicine, mind-body medicine, ayurvedic medicine, meditation, and exercise programs such as yoga and Tai Ji (or Tai Chi) to help them cope with their cancer and its treatment.
Why the inclusiveness? Most oncologists find that patients tolerate their regimen of Western treatments better when they’re receiving some sort of supportive care. As an example, studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly reduce the nausea and vomiting that is sometimes associated with cancer chemotherapies.
Dogs and cats can now benefit from the same kinds of integrative therapy that humans receive. At San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, we work collaboratively to deliver the best treatments possible for our cancer patients. Oncologists and holistic clinicians work together to create customized treatment plans for our patients, ensuring that the patient’s quality of life is kept at its optimum while the best cancer-defeating protocol is brought to bear.
Let’s take a closer look at how integrative therapy supports our cancer patients. From a holistic view, cancer is a clear sign that the body has become significantly out of balance. (If the body had been in balance, the malignant cells would have been kept in check.) So, along with overt measures to stop the growth of the cancer cells, the body needs help to regain its ability to stay in balance, to keep cell reproduction at its proper rate. Chemotherapy and radiation are excellent tools, when properly applied, to stop cancer cell reproduction and to destroy cancer cells. But it takes other measures to help the body regain its own abilities to stay in balance and to withstand the side effects of the chemotherapy or radiation.
For the most part, chemotherapy for animals is kinder and gentler than chemotherapy for humans. Still, pets can suffer from side effects, perhaps feeling a little down and lethargic after a treatment, or having poor appetite, or occasionally experiencing diarrhea. Chemotherapy can also be hard on the kidneys and liver, which are responsible for filtering impurities and drugs from the blood. Offering holistic treatments alongside chemotherapy and other Western approaches can help manage these issues, getting the patient in the best possible shape to defeat the cancer. In effect, holistic treatments can “free up” energy in the patient’s body so it can more effectively deal with the cancer.
In one case, Boston, a cheerful Golden Retriever of 11, was diagnosed with intestinal lymphoma. His family chose a treatment plan that included chemotherapy augmented with acupuncture and herbal medicine, so our hospital’s oncology and holistic departments shared this Golden’s case. Boston had dramatic diarrhea after each of two chemotherapy treatments. Each time, we restored his GI health and balance with acupuncture and herbs.
When an ultrasound was performed prior to considering another chemotherapy treatment for Boston, no evidence of remaining cancer was found! We will never know whether the clearing of the cancer cells came from the chemotherapy or the acupuncture and herbs – or, most likely, from both. It is reasonable to assume that the two chemotherapy treatments destroyed cancer cells, and the acupuncture and herbs helped Boston’s body to find its balance again, keeping the cancer cells in check on its own. But the outcome is what is important. We achieved an outstanding result, while keeping his quality of life high.
Sometimes, chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery are not good options, because of the type or location of the cancer or its level of invasiveness, or because the expense is beyond the family’s capacity to handle. In these cases, a holistic approach can help the patient to feel better longer, and in some cases can be curative.
For example, many herbal formulas for use in oncology contain herbs that have anti-cancer properties. Sometimes, when the body’s ability to stay in balance has been restored, a little help from some anti-neoplastic agents (anti-cancer herbs) can do a great deal to bring the cancer cell population back to a level the body can handle.
There are also holistic herbal protocols that quite aggressively destroy cancer cells.  Superficial tumors sometimes can be eradicated with the topical application of anti-neoplastic herbal products. (These cases must be closely watched to ensure no secondary infection occurs at the site of the dying cancer cells.)
One case we treated was a large dog with an aggressive sarcoma tumor on the hip. Amputation of the limb was not advisable because a portion of the pelvis would have been removed, making walking very difficult. The cancer was also not a good candidate for chemotherapy or radiation. So an anti-neoplastic herbal agent was injected all around the tumor. After a time, the tumor died and fell off. The dog is still alive and doing well.
Remember, if you and your pet are ever faced with this dreaded diagnosis, many tools are available to increase your dear friend’s probability of a good outcome – and to enhance his quality of life. (Quality of life is, after all, what it’s all about.) Be sure to explore all options, from consulting with an oncologist to including holistic medicine in the treatment plan.

San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, Inc. (SFVS) is the first and only multi-specialty referral hospital in San Francisco. For more information, visit www.sfvs.net.