Eleven years of disease free survival in a case of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Rt Breast grade 3, stage 3, treated with add on Ayurveda treatment: A case report.

Breast cancer shows high mortality, especially in women worldwide. This report discusses a case of female patient with a history of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Rt Breast, ER, PR negative, Grade 3 (Gr3) Stage 3 (St3) seen in our OPD treated with supporting herbo-mineral-metallic combination of Ayurveda medicines. Generally, breast cancers of such subtype and that too in Lower Outer Quadrant (LOQ) are always of a concern and can be more troublesome to the patient. When the patient came for the first time, her chief complaint was palpable lump in her right breast for previous three months. We advised her to undergo relevant investigations and, it was found to be malignant. She underwent surgery, Modified Radical Mastectomy,(MRM), followed by chemotherapy. During chemotherapy, which was Adriamycin + Cyclophosphamide (AC) protocol 4 cycles, followed by Docetaxel 4 cycles, every 21 days. After 2 cycles, she started complaints of pain in both calf regions, numbness in fingers of hand and foot, severe generalized skin rash with itching, hyperacidity and constipation. She visited our clinic again for the same, and Ayurveda treatment was started to her at this point. So, at the time of commencement of treatment, the diagnosis was "IDC Rt Breast, LOQ, Gr3 St3, ER, PR negative HER2Neu positive, post op, on chemo". After appropriate analysis based on Ayurvedic and modern parameters, she was diagnosed to have vitiation of Rakta and Pitta (Dushti avastha), due to cyto-toxic nature of (Visha exposure) chemotherapy and medication was planned accordingly, along with chemotherapy protocol. The Ayurveda treatment showed significant relief in the chemotoxicity symptoms, within one month and she could tolerate further chemotherapy cycles very conveniently. On completion of chemotherapy, she was diagnosed to have need of good immunity (Vyadhi-Kshamatva). Based on this diagnosis, Ayurveda treatment protocol was changed and this new regimen continued for almost 6 years afterwards. Laboratory and imaging investigations performed periodically showed marked improvement, and even currently not showing any abnormality. Till date, there is no recurrence and patient is living completely normally for last 11 years. As all the symptoms and investigations showed near complete improvement; it may be concluded that probably add on Ayurveda treatment (Integrative approach) proved effective in this patient of IDC. We have observed 11 years of disease-free survival and excellent quality of life in this patient and still ongoing.