Cancer is a term broadly applied to describe the uncontrolled proliferation of a particular cell type which may manifest as a localized tumor or, by means of spread through the blood vessels or the lymphatic vessels, as an invasive and disseminated disease. These cancer cells compete with the body’s healthy cells for nutrition and, if unchecked, at their extreme, will overtake the body’s vital processes such that the healthy part of the body perishes.
Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and newer immune therapies are the mainstay of current cancer treatment. Many people fear the ravages of treatment to the same degree that they fear the disease.
Dr. Cooke has helped support a number of patients during their treatment. She will insist on communication with the oncologist in so doing. Simple nutritional interventions can go a long way toward mitigating the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Also, acupuncture is a helpful adjunct to the treatment of nausea and dry mouth resulting from chemotherapy and radiation.