All About GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor) And Its Ayurvedic Aspect

ABSTRACT

Tumor or cancer is a disease which scares everyone and has become most common these days. It not only hampers the quality of life of the patient but also affects them to the core. So here is today's topic of discussion named GIST which is also known as gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Let's see what Ayurveda has to say about GIST and how to manage this condition without compromising the quality of life of the patient.

INTRODUCTION

GIST is a soft tissue tumor of the gastrointestinal tract which can be located in any part of the digestive system. The outlook of this disease may vary from person to person depending upon the stage, prognosis or patient's body type. Around 83% of the population survived for 5 years after diagnosis of this disease. As there is advancement in the treatment of cancer so as per recent research their survival has been increased. It is more common in people over 40 years of age. The exact cause of this disease is not known but there are lots of risk factors which are as follows:-

• Age - Most common age group for developing GIST is 40 to 70 years.
• Genetic mutation- Rarely found in people with mutated genes itself during birth.
• Chemical exposure
• Weak immune system
• Poor diet and lifestyle
• Use of excessive Antacids, NSAIDs
• Excessive radiation exposure

SYMPTOMS

Patient with GIST develops Symptoms like:-

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Pain in abdomen
• Bloody stool
• Bowel obstruction
• Abdominal mass
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Fullness of abdomen
• Discomfort
• Gastric formation

All these symptoms may vary from person to person as per the size of tumor or location. Now coming to the diagnosis, which can be done with CECT abdomen, USG, Endoscopic study etc. As per allopathy there is no treatment for GIST, only symptomatic management is done. Then at later stages, surgery is the last option.

AYURVEDIC OVERVIEW OF GIST

Ayurveda is a wonderful science which not only tells us the treatment of disease but also guides us with dietary and lifestyle changes to be done daily or seasonally. In Ayurveda, Arbuda is the word used for any abnormal cell growth in the body. It is a vicious cycle where there is an aggravation of doshas and formation of ama coupled with deformation of channels that triggers abnormal cell growth resulting in tumor formation. The three doshas vata, pitta and kapha are the basis of ayurveda and in tumors they loses their coordination and cause tissue damage to escort their way toward occurrence of critical conditions.

Role of Ama Visha in GIST

Due to imbalance in doshas the digestive fire gets weak and causes accumulations of endotoxins in the body i.e. Ama. Then this ama obstructs the channels which in turn create inflammation at that particular area which can be circular, bulged up, increased in size. Ama is a very vast term which has been highlighted since ancient times. As per ayurveda, most of the diseases are caused due to formation of ama (endotoxins).

"Dushiyatagnis dustoanna ntatta pachti laghavapi Apachyamanam shuktwam yatayannam visharooptama"

(Charak Chikitsa 15/44)

This shloka states that due to weak digestive fire, the undigested food results in formation of amla padarth named ama or amavisha (endotoxins).

You Might Be Thinking What Is Ama Visha?

Let me make you understand this thought as per today's world. In today's world everyone is more into urban food like junk food, fried, processed and packed foods. These foods come in combinations like cheese with sauce, Cheese with tomato, Imli with curd, Samosa and they are known as toxic food combinations which inturn produces a compound called dioxin. This dioxin compound breaks the signalic system of the body and blocks the channels. So our body doesn't recognise the cancerous cells and increases its production to that particular area or adjacent structures.

Role Of Vayu In Proliferation Of GIST

As we have discussed, there is an imbalance of all three humors in the body. Here vata dosha plays an important role.In this vata dosha is predominantly the reason because proliferation of cells is mainly due to vata dosha. As per ayurveda there is a quotation "vayurvibhajiyati" i.e vata is responsible for division which leads to proliferation of cells. So if we control the vata dosha then we'll move one step ahead of the treatment.

Role Of Past Life Karmas In GIST

As per ancient texts, there are many causes of tumors or arbuda but  Our acharyas considered Arbuda as a karmic disease which occurs due to poorva janma krit karma of the patient. Other risk factors include aging, Environmental exposure, improper lifestyle, lack of physical activity or suppressed emotions.

Symptoms As Per Tridosha Predominance

Symptoms like pain in abdomen, unexplained weight loss, tumor proliferation is mainly due to vata because vata is mainly predominated in pranavaha and asthi vaha channels.

Symptoms like inflammation, nausea, vomiting, unusual bleeding, nutritional disturbance is mainly due to pitta dosha because pitta is predominated in rakta vaha channels. Nutritional disturbance makes cells anaerobic thus leading to overgrowth. Uncontrolled increase in mass, indigestion like symptoms is due to kapha dosha because kapha is predominated in masavaha and medovaha channels. Kapaha dosha overloads all the dhatus with ama dosha. Therefore all the three doshas play an equal role in causing the arbuda or GIST.

There are 6 types of tumors as per acharya sushruta–

1. Vataj Arbuda
2. Pittaj Arbuda
3. Kaphaj Arbud
4. Raktraj Arbud
5. Mamsa Arbud
6. Medoj Arbuda

Some Tumors With Ayurvedic Correlation

1. Ras arbuda - Epithelialcarcinoma, Lymphoma, melanoma,
2. Raktarbuda - Leukemia
3. Mamsaarbuda - Myogenic sarcoma
4. Medoarbuda - Lipomayosarcoma
5. Astheyarbuda - Osteosarcoma
6. Majja Arbuda - Multiple myeloma
7. Shukra Arbuda - Testicular carcinoma
8. Artavaarbuda - Ovarian tumor
9. Stanyaarbuda - Breast cancer

So we can correlate GIST with Mamsa arbuda. As per ayurveda, Mamsa arbuda is well managed with ayurvedic herbs and wonderful classical formulations. We can improve the quality life of the patient by increasing the longevity with no or zero side effects.

Management Of Arbuda As Per Classical Texts:-

Arbuda can be managed by following three ways which are explained below:-

1. Management of Vata - To manage proliferation of cells we should focus on alleviating excessive vata from the body. For managing vata we should use dashamoola drugs, Eranda, haritaki, ajmoda, intake of medicated oils etc.
2. Detoxification of Ama (Endotoxins) - Ama dosha can be detoxified by two ways i.e By shodhan of body with detoxification procedures like panchkarma and shaman with ayurvedic herbs like chitrak, bhallataka, black peer, Shunthi, jeerak, pippali moola, ajwain, chavya etc.
3. Rasayan Chikitsa (Improving Immunity) - This treatment modality can be done to improve the immunity of the patient which is possible with healthy lifestyle like light exercise,  consuming proper food, sleeping at right time, avoid viruddh ahar (intake of toxic food combinations),   decreasing anxiety,  emphasize positive emotions or by avoiding excess use of five white substances- White sugar, White salt, White hydrogenated oil, White flour and White rice. Along with a healthy lifestyle you should include rasyan dravya like Amla, bhallataka, Giloy, Mandukaparni, Yashtimadhu, Brahmi etc. Rasay treatment prevents the growth of tumor cells due to its antioxidant properties and brightens the cells with prasad bhaga by improving agni so selecting an appropriate rasayan according to arbuda is very important. Some important rasayan prayogas are :-
   • Bhallataka rasayana
   • Chitraka rasayana
   • Shilajatu rasayana
   • Lashuna rasayana
   • Pippali rasayana
   • Haritaki rasayana
   • Guggulu rasayana
4. Gomutra Therapy -  Gomutra has been used in classical texts since ancient times. It is well explained by acharya sushruta and vagbhata with its numerous therapeutic actions and also as an ingredient of panchgavya (Godughda, gomutra, ghee, curd, dung). This is very effective in managing GIST or arbuda.
5. Ayurvedic Herbs to Manage GIST - There are lots of herbs which assist in managing arbud or tumor. Kanchnar (Bauhinia variegata), bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium), Curcumin (Curcuma longa), Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), Tulsi (ocimum sanctum), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), anantamul (Hemidesmus indicus), triphala, guggul (Commiphora mukul), Kumari (Aloe barbadensis) etc. All these herbs possess Anticancer properties which aids in alleviating extract proliferated cancerous cells.
6. Role of Rasaushadhi in Managing GIST - Rasaushadhis (herbo-mineral preparations) are the one which has a very good effect in patients suffering from cancer or tumor. Many Rasaushadhi's like:-
   • Abhrak bhasma
   • Shankha visha bhasma
   • tutha bhasma
   • heerak bhasma
   • swarna bhasma
   • tamra bhasma
   • Arbudohar ras
   • Amar sunder ras
   • Arogya sagar ras
   • Udaya Bhaskar ras
   • Umashambhu ras

CONCLUSION

Therefore, coming to an end, I hope that fear of your mind must have gone away after reading this article. GIST is a tumor whose allopathic treatment is surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy and palliative care. All these treatment modalities hamper the quality of life and cause a bundle of side effects. So we should adopt ayurveda because it not only manages the diseases but also improves the quality of life with no adverse effects.