Integrated cancer therapy

Body temperature plays a central role in the regulation of the immune system. Fever is a real ‘special immune-competent program’. By inducing fever, the immune system is boosted and healing powers can be unlocked in a lasting way. The body’s immune defences are then activated against the tumour, in an attempt to curb its growth and regress the mass. This therapy has proven effective in complementing and enhancing conventional treatments such as chemo-immuno- and radiotherapy.

The patient is placed in a special ‘hammock’. Infrared lamps are used to bring the body to the desired temperature. A special water filter prevents thermal stress on the skin. Once the temperature is reached, the person is then moved to a bed and carefully wrapped in towels and blankets, so that the body develops a gradual increase in temperature on its own. After treatment, the temperature slowly returns to normal.

Mistletoe therapy has a long tradition of use and has been constantly developed over the years. At the Casa Raphael medical centre, we often treat patients with mistletoe extracts in addition to conventional treatments, as it strengthens the body’s healthy processes and promotes physiological self-regulation. In order to determine the clinical efficacy of mistletoe more precisely, numerous clinical studies have been conducted in recent years to scientifically prove its numerous effects. Specifically, the benefits are:

• activation of the immune system, which can thus better defend the body against cancer cells
• stimulation of programmed cell death of cancer cells (apoptosis), so as to prevent tumour growth or, at best, reduce its mass
• better tolerability to chemotherapy and radiotherapy due to the protection of the genetic material (DNA) of healthy cells from cytotoxins
• improvement of disease-related fatigue syndrome, in particular sleep disturbances and fatigue/exhaustion
• improvement of general conditions and quality of life, increased performance, reduced need for assistance
• improvement of appetite and thus prevention of loss of strength and cachexia
• improvement of mental well-being: reduction of concentration disorders or mental fatigue, depression and anxiety
• reduction of pain

Various preparations are available for this therapy, which are specifically selected according to the type of disease and existing symptoms. The choice of preparation and dosage are customised and are chosen by the doctor after the medical examination at admission.

As a rule, mistletoe extract is injected subcutaneously with very fine needles two or three times a week and is a therapy that the patient does independently at home after a short training with our nurses. As part of individual therapeutic decisions, intravenous infusions or intralesional (directly into the tumour) or body cavity injections of mistletoe can be a useful adjunct. In principle, it is possible to treat all types of cancer with mistletoe extracts. Caution is advised only in the case of brain tumours and acute leukaemia.

Patients benefit from mistletoe therapy at all stages of the disease, both curative and palliative. Therapy can be started at any time, i.e. before, during or after conventional treatment.

Oxygen ozone therapy is a medical practice that provides numerous benefits. In this field, the analgesic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiseptic and free-radical-reducing effects are of particular note.

Ozone can be administered in different ways: systemic (large or small autohemotherapy – rectal insufflation), local (intramuscular – intra or periarticular), cutaneous, bladder, and vaginal.

At Casa Raphael, nutrition is an integral part of the care pathway. In cancer patients, the need to propose a personalised diet adapted to the needs of the moment is even greater. Diet has a preventive function with respect to cancer and other diseases in general (cardiovascular, hypertension, diabetes, etc.), supports patients at nutritional risk and aids the detoxification process. Customising one’s diet contributes to improving one’s overall well-being, supporting healing and harmonising the individual.

The patient who has undergone traditional cancer therapies has accumulated a not inconsiderable metabolic and pharmacological waste load. These toxins can remain in the body for a long time, impairing the proper functioning of the body and all its systems. Such massive exposure puts a strain on the body’s resistance, making it essential to adopt strategies that help the body eliminate this waste and restore its natural balance. Therefore, with our therapies, we promote the excretion of toxins and support the excretory organs such as the liver and kidneys.

Purification therapy is indicated during or at the end of chemotherapy, for a deep detoxification of all organs and to promote a more rapid restoration of the body’s functions.

During or at the end of the course of treatment, patients may need physiotherapeutic support or a period of rehabilitation. Whether neurological, post-surgical, orthopaedic or just to regain muscle mass and strength in one’s limbs, our medical centre has a dedicated gymnasium and a heated indoor pool in which to practice it.

The rehabilitation pathway involves a multidisciplinary approach by a team of experts including a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, posturologist, therapeutic masseur and, in certain cases, an osteopath.

The course can then be continued at home with the exercises that are taught during the sessions.

The aim is to help the person achieve the best possible level of autonomy on a physical, functional, intellectual and relational level, with the least restriction of his or her operational choices and a clear improvement in quality of life.

Our health comes from the pursuit of a physical and mental equilibrium that we must constantly rebalance. Art therapies, by fostering creativity and stimulating the senses, are a way to help patients regain this balance. In integrated cancer medicine, these therapies play an important role in helping the person cope with the disease in a comprehensive manner. In doing so, we support the patient in dealing with the emotional and psychological pain that this diagnosis and its treatment bring.