Cancer is a dreadful illness that affects millions of people globally. While medical treatment for cancer is essential, there are other ways to support patients going through cancer treatment, including meditation. Meditation is an ancient practice that involves calming the mind and focusing on the present moment. While dealing with cancer-related difficulties, meditation may be a way to find relief. You might also feel less stressed, be able to manage your pain better, have more energy, and can sleep better. As a complementary mind-body therapy, meditation relaxes the body and quiets the mind. It may be a potent addition to conventional medical care for some medical illnesses, such as cancer. So here in this blog, we will discuss eight ways that meditation may help during cancer treatment.
Here are some ways that meditation can help during cancer treatment-
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and patients may experience high levels of stress and anxiety throughout their treatment. By soothing the body and mind, meditation can reduce stress and anxiety. When we meditate, we focus on our breath, which slows down our heart rate and lowers blood pressure. This calming effect can help cancer patients feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Many cancer patients experience sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, during their treatment. By encouraging relaxation and lowering tension and anxiety, meditation can help people sleep better. Studies have shown that regular meditation can improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. Better sleep can also help boost the immune system, which is crucial for cancer patients.
Read More Blog: Good Night’s Sleep Is Incredibly Important For Your Health
Cancer treatment can cause pain and discomfort, and some patients may be prescribed pain medication. While medication can help manage pain, it can also have side effects. Meditation can be used as an adjunct therapy to help manage pain. Research has shown that meditation can reduce the perception of pain by changing the way the brain processes pain signals. Meditation can also help reduce inflammation in the body, which can contribute to pain.
The immune system plays a critical role in fighting cancer, and cancer treatment can weaken the immune system. Stress and inflammation in the body can be reduced by meditation, which strengthens the immune system. Research has shown that meditation can increase the activity of natural killer cells, which are white blood cells that help fight cancer. Meditation can also increase the production of antibodies, which can help prevent infections.
Read More Blog: How Does Immunotherapy Help In The Fight Against Cancer?
Cancer treatment can be physically and emotionally challenging, and patients may experience a reduced quality of life. Meditation can help enhance the quality of life for cancer patients by reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, and managing pain. Meditation can also help patients feel more connected to their bodies and their emotions, which can improve their overall sense of well-being.
Meditation involves practicing mindfulness, which is the ability to focus on the present moment without judgment. Cancer patients may find themselves worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, which can contribute to stress and anxiety. Practicing mindfulness through meditation can help patients stay present and focus on what they can control at the moment. As a result, your overall well-being is likely to increase as stress and anxiety decrease.
Cancer treatment can cause cognitive dysfunction, commonly known as “chemo brain,” which can affect memory, attention, and concentration. Meditation can help improve cognitive function by reducing stress and anxiety, which can impair cognitive abilities. Research has shown that regular meditation can increase grey matter in the brain, which is associated with improved cognitive function.
Cancer treatment can make patients feel like they have lost control of their lives. Meditation can provide patients with a sense of control by allowing them to take charge of their mental and emotional well-being. Practicing meditation regularly can help patients feel empowered and more in control of their thoughts and emotions, which can improve their overall sense of well-being.
In conclusion, meditation can be a powerful tool for cancer patients to manage their physical and emotional symptoms during treatment. By promoting relaxation, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving mood and cognitive function, meditation can help patients maintain a higher quality of life and cope better with the challenges of cancer treatment. Being diagnosed with cancer can be a life-changing event, bringing a wave of emotions and uncertainties. Oncoplus understands the complexities of this journey and is dedicated to providing comprehensive care for cancer patients. Our team of experienced professionals works together to provide personalized treatment plans and support services that address patients’ and their families’ physical, emotional, and practical needs. At Oncoplus, we believe in treating not only the disease but the person and are committed to helping our patients achieve the best possible outcome.
How Does Early Cancer Detection Improve the Quality of Life?
As we all know, cancer is the leading cause of death, but early detection of cancer can improve the quality of life and increase the chances of survival. Due to the advancement in cancer treatment, many types of cancer can be fully treatable. If the unusual cancer cells are detected early before they turn into cancer cells, then the cancer can be cured.
Cancer can be detected at an early stage with the help of screening technology. If the cancer cells are not too large and have not spread in other parts of the body, it can be successfully treated. If you find something is wrong in your body, then consult your doctor and go for a screening test for early detection of cancer. In this blog, you will learn about how early cancer detection improves the survival rate and quality of life.
Warning Signs that Show You Need Medical Treatment:
Early cancer detection increases survival rates.
Patients who are diagnosed in the earlier cancer stages, i.e., stage I-II, have more chances of recovery than patients who are in the advanced stages III-IV. Generally, patients who are suffering from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic, and stomach cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage. This reduces the survival chances. But if this cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, then it increases the chances by 5 years. Early detection of cancer aids in beating it and improves quality of life.
If cancer is detected early, then a lot of treatment options are available and fewer resources will be used. But, if the cancer is diagnosed at a later stage, then it will require hard treatment and can have side effects. In late diagnosis, the patients had to go through chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, difficulty eating, and also various challenges in performing everyday activities.
Most importantly, in the latter stage, effective treatment will be limited. The treatment of patients who are at an advanced stage will reduce the pain or other disease symptoms, but it cannot cure the disease or extend the life of the patient. This can also cause patients to feel sick, lose weight, and feel unable to care for themselves.
If the cancer treatment is diagnosed at an early stage, then more resources, treatment, and services are available for the patient. Some factors which increase the risk of cancer are age, sex, geographic location, etc. Early screening helps in the diagnosis of cancer and improves the survival rate. The cancers that are without screenings result in later-stage diagnosis and lead to a low rate of survival. Hence, screening plays an important role in early detection and also improves the quality of life.
How Does Immunotherapy Help in the Fight Against Cancer?
Immunotherapy is basically a cancer treatment that uses your own immune system to fight and destroy cancer cells. Because the cancer cells are different from normal cells, they do not die. This therapy uses substances that are made by the body to boost the immune system. It is used to treat many different types of cancer. The specialist uses this therapy alone or sometimes uses chemotherapy to treat cancer patients. In this blog, you will learn how immunotherapy helps fight cancer.
What are the Different Types of Immunotherapy?
The immune system of a person consists of complex processes, i.e., cells, organs, and proteins. In this, cancer cells continue to grow. Immunotherapy helps the immune system to slow down the growth of cancer cells or stop cancer from spreading in other parts of the body. Doctors recommend immunotherapy to the patient according to the type of cancer, location, and size and also on which part of the body the cancer has spread. Treatment also depends upon various factors like age, general health, and body weight.
The Different Types of Immunotherapy:
Non-specific immunotherapies help your immune system destroy cancer cells. There are different types of non-specific immunotherapies, i.e., cytokines, which are part of the immune system. Interferons are produced by the immune system to alert your body and slow the growth of cancer cells. Interleukins pass messages between cells.
Monoclonal antibodies are generally made in a laboratory in order to boost the body’s natural antibodies to fight against cancer. This also blocks the activity of abnormal proteins in cancer cells. It is known as targeted therapy, in which the medication is used to target the cancer’s tissues, genes, or proteins that help the cancer grow.
Oncolytic virus therapy is also known as virus therapy, and it uses viruses that have been changed in a laboratory in order to destroy cancer cells. When the modified version of the virus is injected into the cancer cells, then it makes a copy of itself and damages the cancer cells. After the cells die, they release proteins that boost your immune system and target any cancer cells in your body.
A cancer vaccine exposes your immune system to a protein known as an antigen that helps to fight body disease. This boosts the immune system to destroy the antigen. To prevent cancer, there are two types of vaccine, i.e., prevention vaccines and treatment vaccines.
T cells are the cells that help fight against infection. In T-cell therapy, a specialist removes T cells from the patients’ blood and adds proteins known as receptors to the cells. These receptors help to recognize cancer cells. The modified T cells are inserted into the body and then destroy cancer cells. This is also called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
Why do People with a Healthy Immune System Get Cancer?
People with a healthy immune system suffer from cancer because the immune system doesn’t recognize the cancer cells as these cells aren’t different from normal cells. Secondly, the immune system recognizes the cancer cells, but they are not strong enough to destroy the cancer. And cancer cells produce substances that keep the immune system from attacking them. Hence, researchers have found ways so that the immune system can recognize cancer cells and destroy them.
The Side-effects of Immunotherapy
The various side-effects of immunotherapy are fatigue, nausea or vomiting, mouth sores, diarrhea, high blood pressure, fever, pain or weakness, headaches, and itching.
Conclusion
Immunotherapy boosts your immune system and helps fight cancer. This therapy stops cancer cells from growing in the patient’s body. Immunotherapy alone can be helpful to treat cancer and in combination with chemotherapy.
Hyper IGE Syndrome is an unusual condition affecting the body’s immune system. This condition’s causes are still unknown, but researchers are studying genetic factors and viral infections that could be related to it. Hyper IGE syndrome can cause many symptoms, including rash, abdominal pain, joint pain, eczema and more severe problems like breathing or even death. This condition affects each person differently, and to get the proper treatment, you must consult your doctor as soon as possible if you think you have this condition.
Hyper IGE Syndrome (HIES) is a rare primary immunodeficiency disease characterized by extremely high levels of immunoglobulin E (IGE) in the blood, recurrent skin and sinus infections, and eczema. HIES is caused by mutations in the STAT3 gene, which is essential for the development and function of immune cells. The most common symptom of HIES is recurrent skin infections, which can lead to eczema.
Symptoms usually begin during infancy or early childhood and worsen over time. Symptoms typically include redness, heat, pus-filled blisters, and oozing lesions on any body part. Sinus infections are also prevalent in patients with HIES due to decreased ability to fight off invaders because of decreased neutrophils and impaired production of cytokines that help fight infection.
Patients with this condition are also more susceptible to fungal and viral infections such as chickenpox or shingles. Diagnosis involves testing a patient’s white blood cell count, peripheral smear, and total serum IGE level. Treatment includes administration of antibiotics when indicated and monitoring the person’s health status closely.
To prevent and manage Hyper IGE Syndrome, it is essential to avoid triggers, such as infections, that can worsen symptoms. It is also necessary to identify early signs and symptoms so that treatment can be initiated as soon as possible. Treatment typically includes immunotherapy and/or medication.
In some cases, a bone marrow transplant may be necessary. The kidney function should be monitored closely with periodic blood tests if the patient has kidney disease. If the person has any other medical conditions or allergies, they should always follow their doctor’s instructions for medical care and avoidance of potential triggers.
The management plan for hyper IGE syndrome will depend on what types of complications have been diagnosed. Most people will require life-long therapy to control the disorder. People with persistent anaemia and granulocytopenia will need red blood cell transfusions, platelet transfusions, and antibiotics to help prevent their illness.
Symptoms are usually managed by drugs (such as corticosteroids) or changes in diet (avoiding certain foods). It is unclear how common this condition is, but there have been approximately 150 documented cases worldwide since its discovery in 1968.
Hyper IGE Syndrome (HIES) is a rare primary immunodeficiency disorder characterized by high levels of serum IGE, recurrent skin and pulmonary infections, and eosinophilia. Although the exact cause of HIES is unknown, it is believed to be caused by a defect in the TH2 pathway.
Treatment for HIES typically includes aggressive antibiotic therapy, immunoglobulin replacement therapy, and avoidance of known triggers. The prognosis for patients with HIES varies depending on severity. Patients with a life-threatening infection or uncontrolled eosinophilia are often treated as medical emergencies.
The severe form of HIES can lead to an early death, but most patients survive into adulthood. The prognosis depends on the severity of symptoms, but most people who receive appropriate treatment respond well.
After carefully reviewing the literature and our patient’s clinical course, we believe this is a unique case of hyper IGE syndrome. This patient’s phenotype resembles that of Job’s syndrome, with similar findings on skin biopsy but without the recurrent staphylococcal infections or characteristic eosinophilia.
Immunization or vaccinations, boosting your immunity can protect people from serious diseases they have been rigorously tested to establish their safety and effectiveness in protecting against infectious diseases. Once people get vaccinated their bodies are able to fight off these diseases better, after getting in contact with it. All vaccinations work in the same manner. The jab uses the body’s immune system to increase the protection from an infection, before a person comes into contact with it. For instance, its like getting the disease without the symptoms. When a person comes into contact with an infection, after getting immunized, the body works to stop you from getting the disease, or you may get just mild symptoms of it.
Is safe to say that immunization is one of the biggest health achievements of mankind. There are a few diseases, which are caused by viruses and can’t be cured with antibiotics. The only way to control these diseases can be controlled by is immunization. With awareness and incessant immunization programs these diseases may no longer possess a threat, for instance polio and smallpox are successful examples.
The development of effective vaccines has had a huge decrease in childhood deaths. WHO states, “The 2 public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines.” As children grow older, they are exposed to numerous risks of infectious diseases. Despite advancements in medicine, infections can prove detrimental. Before the availability of vaccines, numerous children died from diseases such as whooping cough, measles and polio globally.
Sadly, despite successful immunization drives, the diseases, which the vaccines protect against, still exist. Getting your child vaccinated will surely give you peace of mind as it shall provide protection from fatal diseases, and in turn assisting in protecting the health of the entire community. When peope are immunized against a certain virus or a disease, it gets difficult for the infection to spread, this is commonly called as ‘population protection or heard immunity, this word has been tossed around lately numerous times with the outbreak of COVID-19.
The answer is extremely simple, everyone should get immunized, besides people who have a really weak immune system remember to always consult a doctor first, who will advise if you can or cannot get a jab.
If you’re not sure about immunizations, speak with Delhi’s best doctors at Oncoplus Super Specialty Hospital in Defence Colony, write to us info@oncoplus.co.in or call us at +91 85889 09091 to book an appointment.