Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, and in Mumbai it is the cancer most women and their families ask about first. A diagnosis brings a lot of questions at once: what treatment will I need, how will chemotherapy and radiation affect me, and how do I keep my strength and routine through it? Many people living in Mumbai are treated at the city’s large oncology centres and private hospitals, and then look for gentle, supportive care to help them through the months of treatment.
This page explains what treatment usually involves, the side effects people commonly face, and how complementary homeopathic cancer care at Welling Homeopathy can sit alongside – never in place of – the plan made by your oncology team.
How breast cancer is usually treated
Treatment is planned by your oncology team after tests such as mammography, ultrasound, biopsy and receptor testing (ER, PR and HER2). Depending on the stage and type, it usually combines:
- Surgery – lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery) or mastectomy, often with removal or sampling of the underarm lymph nodes.
- Chemotherapy – given before surgery to shrink a tumour, after surgery to lower the chance of recurrence, or for advanced disease. Common drugs include anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin) and taxanes (such as paclitaxel and docetaxel).
- Radiation therapy – usually after lumpectomy, and sometimes after mastectomy, over a few weeks.
- Hormonal (endocrine) therapy – tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors for hormone-receptor-positive cancers, often continued for five to ten years.
- Targeted therapy – for example trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer.
Common side effects of treatment
Side effects differ from person to person and depend on the drugs, doses and your general health. Your oncology team can often prevent or reduce many of them with medicines and supportive measures, so always report symptoms early.
Chemotherapy
- Nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite
- Hair loss, mouth sores and taste changes
- Extreme tiredness and weakness
- Low blood counts, which raise the risk of infection
- Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy), particularly with taxanes
- Constipation or loose motions, and disturbed sleep
- Anxiety, low mood and “chemo brain” (poor concentration and memory)
Radiation therapy
- Redness, dryness, itching or peeling of the skin in the treated area
- Fatigue that builds up over the weeks of treatment
- Breast swelling, tenderness or heaviness
- Arm swelling (lymphoedema) and shoulder stiffness, especially after lymph node surgery or radiation
- Less commonly, cough or breathlessness if the lung is affected
Hormonal therapy
- Hot flushes, night sweats and mood changes
- Joint and muscle pain and stiffness (especially with aromatase inhibitors)
- Vaginal dryness and reduced interest in sex
- Thinning of bones, which your doctor will monitor
How complementary homeopathic care fits in
Complementary care means supportive treatment given together with your oncology treatment. At Welling Homeopathy the aim is to help you feel as well as possible during and after treatment: easing symptoms and side effects where we can, supporting appetite, energy and sleep, and helping you keep up your quality of life so that you can carry on with the treatment your doctors have planned.
What does the research say? Research on homeopathy for the side effects of cancer treatment is limited. A few small studies of particular remedies (for example for radiation skin reactions or mouth sores) have been reported, but good-quality evidence is lacking, and homeopathy has not been shown to treat or cure cancer. For this reason we use homeopathic care only as a complement, and never as a replacement for surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted, hormonal or immune therapy, or for the advice of your oncologist.
ImmunoKnife™ Homeopathy Treatment Process
ImmunoKnife™ is the speciality homeopathic treatment process for cancers developed by Dr. Sourabh Welling at Welling Research Labs in Mumbai and practised at the Welling cancer clinics. Our approach looks at the whole person – the cancer, the treatment you are having, your symptoms and your constitution – and is aimed at relieving the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, easing pain, and improving general quality of life so that you can respond better to the other treatments you are receiving. It is offered as supportive care around your oncology treatment, and your oncologist should always be told about it.
Over 25 years of experience treating patients
Dr. Sourabh Welling, founder of Welling Homeopathy, has been treating patients for more than 25 years, including people living with cancer and going through chemotherapy and radiation. In a first consultation he and his team take a detailed history – your diagnosis and treatment plan, your symptoms, your past health and your personality – so that supportive care is planned around you and not around a standard list.
Practical ways to feel better during treatment
- Eat small, frequent meals – simple home food such as khichdi, dal soup, curd rice, bananas and coconut water is often easier than heavy or fried food during chemotherapy.
- Protein and fluids – try to take protein (dal, eggs, paneer, fish if you eat it) at each meal and sip fluids through the day to reduce nausea and constipation.
- Keep gently active – short daily walks and breathing exercises help fatigue, sleep and mood. Ask your physiotherapist about arm and shoulder exercises after surgery or radiation.
- Protect the skin during radiation – wear soft cotton, avoid scented products and hot water on the treated area, and use only the creams your radiation team approves.
- Mouth care – rinse with salt water, use a soft brush, and tell your team early about mouth sores.
- Avoid infection – wash hands often, avoid crowded places when your counts are low and eat freshly cooked food.
- Look after your mind – talk to family, a counsellor or a support group; anxiety and low mood are common and treatable.
When to call your oncologist or go to hospital urgently
Do not wait for a homeopathic appointment if you have any of the following – contact your oncology team or go to the nearest hospital:
- Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or above, or shivering, during chemotherapy
- Uncontrolled vomiting, or being unable to drink fluids for 24 hours
- Severe breathlessness, chest pain or a new cough with blood
- Bleeding that does not stop, or black stools
- A hot, red, painful swollen arm or breast
- Sudden severe headache, confusion or weakness
Consultation in Mumbai
Mumbai patients often travel long distances for treatment and arrive tired after a day at the hospital. We therefore plan follow-ups around your chemotherapy or radiation schedule, and online consultations are available between visits. You can meet us at our Mumbai clinics (see the Contact page for current addresses and hours), or consult online from wherever you are being treated. Please bring your reports, your treatment plan and a list of everything you are taking.
Going through breast cancer treatment in Mumbai? Talk to us before or during your treatment.
Our experts will study your reports, your symptoms and your treatment plan, and explain honestly how supportive homeopathic care can help you through chemotherapy or radiation and in recovery afterwards.
Call +91 8080 850 950 for a 1:1 personal consultation with our experts today, or read about our cancer treatment programme.
Frequently asked questions
Can homeopathy cure breast cancer?
No. Homeopathy has not been shown to cure or treat breast cancer, and we do not claim that it does. At Welling Homeopathy it is used only as supportive, complementary care alongside surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormonal or targeted therapy prescribed by your oncologist.
Is it safe to take homeopathic medicines during chemotherapy and radiation?
Homeopathic medicines are highly diluted and are not known to interfere with chemotherapy or radiation. Even so, you should always tell your oncologist about everything you are taking, and we will coordinate with your treatment schedule. Never stop or delay any prescribed cancer treatment.
Can complementary care help with the side effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer?
Our aim is to ease symptoms such as nausea, weakness, mouth sores, poor appetite, sleep disturbance and anxiety so that treatment is easier to tolerate. Results vary from person to person, and good-quality research on this is limited, which is why we describe it as supportive care only.
When should I start supportive care – before, during or after treatment?
Any time. Many people begin when their treatment plan is made so that they have support from the first cycle; others come during treatment when side effects appear, or after treatment to help recovery, energy and long-term effects such as joint pain or hot flushes.
What are the early symptoms of breast cancer?
A new lump in the breast or underarm, a change in size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple retraction or bloody discharge, or a persistent rash on the nipple. Not every lump is cancer, but any new lump or change should be checked promptly by a doctor.
How do I book a consultation in Mumbai?
Call +91 8080 850 950 to book a 1:1 consultation at one of our Mumbai clinics or online. Please bring your biopsy, scan and blood reports and your treatment plan.
Learn more
- All cancer treatment guides for Mumbai
- Homeopathy Specialist for Cancer – our cancer treatment programme
- Treatment Of Breast Cancer
- Most Common Symptoms of Breast Cancer
- Metastatic Breast Cancer: What It Is and How It Is Managed
- Speciality Homeopathic Cancer Clinic
- 4 Step Cancer Treatment at Welling Homeopathy
- Exploring Best Cancer Treatment Options in Mumbai: A Comprehensive Guide
- Homeopathy Cancer Treatment Reviews
Disclaimer: this page is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Homeopathy is offered as complementary, supportive care only; it is not claimed to treat or cure cancer. Please follow your oncologist’s advice and do not stop or change any prescribed treatment without consulting them.
