Cancer is an uncontrolled hyperplastic disease characterized by lymph-node forming tumors, invasion, metastasis, and anaplasia. This disease is one of the largest causes of mobility and morbidity worldwide. Despite tremendous advances in therapeutic avenues, cancer remains an unbeatable major killer in all parts of the world. Ayurveda describes a spectrum of clinical conditions similar to cancer; Granthi and Arvuda as described by Sushruta refer to benign and malignant tumors respectively, as indicated by their distinctive characteristics, many of the treatments for cancer in Ayurveda are surgery, parasurgery or medications. Therefore it is advisable to have appropriate treatment strategy in the management of cancer, especially with respect to Arvuda in Ayurveda. The objective of this paper is to develop a suitable pharmacological strategy for the treatment of cancer based on their mechanism of action related to the pharmacodynamic factors of drug action recorded in Ayurveda.
Introduction
Cancer is caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells that can invade tissues and spread throughout the body in a process known as metastasis. These diseases can be classified under neoplasms or tumors. British oncologist R.A. According to the definition given by Willis, "A tumor or neoplasm is an abnormal accumulation of tissues, the growth of which exceeds that of normal tissues and is not coordinated with it, and continues to form in the same excessive manner even after the stimuli have ceased." It exists which causes change. In practice, tumor usually means a swelling, a mass. But eventually it became synonymous with neoplasm. Tumors can actually be classified into two types, benign and malignant. Sometimes semitone and local regional influences can also be detected. Oncology is the branch of medical science that studies tumors. Benign tumors represent the accumulation of cells transformed for reproduction in abnormal numbers, but under such circumstances that they remain within the original tissue, while malignant tumors contain cells that can invade neighboring tissues, called invasion. may also leave the original tissue to spread and form metastases. Today the management of cancer includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Despite great strides made through research, cancer still contributes the most to both morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Ayurveda, Granthi, Arvuda, Apachi, Dusta Vrana and many similar clinical conditions show similar symptoms as various types of cancer, but have medicines in their own chapters under the respective Ayurvedic classics. There is no single study available to incorporate the treatment strategy with special reference to the pharmacodynamic properties of individual drugs and their mechanisms of action in cancer. This is the first study to produce drugs with common mechanisms of action for the treatment of all types of fatal conditions.Properties Of Malignant Tumors
Malignant tumors infiltrate or invade the tissue or organ in which they are growing. They grow faster than where they start and later spread to other locations, called metastatic or secondary deposits. Metastasis occurs primarily through lymphatic and vascular channels along natural cavities and pathways. Overall, sarcoma spreads through blood, while carcinoma spreads through lymph. Malignant tumor is a monoclonal mass of cells. Anaplasia or undifferentiated growth is another integral feature of malignant tumors and means that the tumor cells do not differentiate or function like the mother cell or the tissues from which it grew. They only increase in numbers but do not differentiate.Characteristics Of Benign And Malignant Tumors
Benign Tumours
1 Age: Happens at every age 2 Size: Usually, small but sometimes can be very large 3 Tumor extent: Well-defined, well-circumscribed 4 Encapsulation: Mostly Encapsulated 5 Growth: Slow, diffuse and irregular growth that sometimes stops 6 Histology: 1. Well differentiated, similar to native tissue. 2. With well formed stroma, 3. Regular cells. 4. Very little in mitosis 7 Stability: Usually not attached to surrounding structures 8 Attack: It does not attack nearby structures. 9 Bleeding and ulceration: Usually not prone to bleeding and ulceration 10 Metastasis: There is no metastasis at all. 11 Cause of death: Usually not fatal, but on rare occasions mechanical pressure and obstruction can cause death.Malignant Tumors
1. Age: Usually seen above 40 years of age or during the first decade of life. 2. Size: Usually large. 3. Edge of tumor: Poorly defined, poorly circumscribed. 4. Encapsulation: Usually not encapsulated. 5. Growth: Growth but rapid, aggressive, progressive, decreasing gradually until death. 6. Histology: 1. Less well differentiated and sometimes completely anaplastic, 2. Stroma often poorly formed. 3. Cells are often polymorphic 4. Mitosis often numerous. 7. Stability: Most stable due to local invasion of surrounding structures. 8. Invasion: It usually invades nearby structures, and in fact this is a distinctive feature. 9. Bleeding and ulceration: Malignant tumors are more hemorrhagic and ulcerative than benign neoplasms due to their increased vascularity. 10. Metastatic: Commonly metastic. 11. Cause of death: Almost always death if not treated. Death is caused by a combination of mechanical and destructive effects, as well as blood loss, secondary infection, starvation cachexia, bone marrow replacement by metastasis, anemia, malnutrition, etc.These were the cases
World Scenario
Lung cancer, women's breast cancer, and colon and rectal cancer are the most common types of cancer according to new cases reported worldwide in 2018. Prostate cancer is the fourth most common of all newly diagnosed cases, while colon cancer is fifth. The cancer causes the highest mortality rate among all cancers, with lung cancer followed by colorectal cancer in deaths. The number of deaths due to breast cancer ranks fifth in the world. These three cancers represent approximately one third of all cancer cases globally. They also contribute to one third of total deaths due to cancer worldwide. The global cancer burden continues to increase, reaching 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million cancer deaths by 2018. One in 5 men and 1 in 6 women worldwide will develop cancer in their lifetime; 1 in 8 men and 1 in 11 women will die due to this. Thus, Asia is home to approximately 60% of the world's population, and hence, accounted for at least 50% of new cancer cases and 50% of cancer deaths globally in 2018.Indian scenario
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded that about 1.16 million new cancer cases were reported in India in 2018. It also predicts that one in every ten Indians will develop cancer in their lifetime, while one in every fifteen will die from it. The most prevalent cancers in India are breast cancer, oral cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer. In India, oral cancer is most prevalent among men, while breast cancer is most prevalent among women.Etiology of cancer (malignant tumors)
It is mentioned that cancer is generally caused by the following factors. 1. Group of polycyclic hydrocarbons: Benzpyrine (found in tar), colanthrene, methyl colanthrene, naphthylamine, benzidine, dimethylaminoazobenzene, nitrosamine, vinyl chloride, asbestos, nickel, chromium and many other chemical substances. Carcinogen. Aniline dyes containing beta naphthylamine cause bladder cancer. Most of them have to become active in the liver before they become carcinogenic. Their activation occurs in the liver site by the oxidase group of cytochrome-P-450 microsomal enzymes. 2. Natural carcinogens such as sex hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone have been found to cause breast, endometrium, ovarian, and prostate cancers.3. Many viruses can cause cancer in humans and animals. An RNA virus—for example—human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 is capable of causing human T cell leukemia, while hepatitis C virus can trigger hepatocellular carcinoma. Among DNA viruses, Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma are caused by Epstein Barr virus. Cervical cancer and Kaposi's sarcoma in AIDS patients are caused by the herpes simplex II virus. For squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, cervix, as well as head and neck in men, human papilloma virus (HPV) is an agent that causes these diseases. Bovine papilloma virus (BPV) can cause several types of cancer in cattle. Hepatitis B virus—a DNA virus—can cause liver cancer. In addition, bacterial pathogens such as Helicobacter pylori are indicated in stomach cancer.
4. Aflatoxins, produced by a fungus called Aspergillus flavus, can cause liver cancer and toxic hepatitis in humans. 5. All types of radiation can cause cancer, including ultraviolet radiation. Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation can also cause skin cancer, including melanoma. 6. Smoking and chewing tobacco are predisposing causes for lung and mouth cancer respectively. 7. Immune deficiency conditions – naturally or artificially or genetically – also increase the risk of lymphoma and leukemia. 8. Chronic burns – Kangri cancer in Kashmiris, caused by keeping hot basket coals under their clothes for the purpose of warmth, results in prolonged thermal irritation. 9. Some other risk factors include dietary factors, alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, water pollution, reproductive factors, etc.
