What Is Bladder Cancer And Its Treatment In Ayurveda?

Abstract

The urinary bladder is a triangular-shaped structure which is attached to the pelvic organ and other organs by ligaments. The urinary bladder is useful in storing urine. Its maximum capacity in males is about 700 ml and in females, it is about 500 ml. The muscles present in the bladder contain the capacity to contract and relax and are responsible for urination. The urinary bladder is responsible for removing harmful toxins, extra salt and water from the body through urine. Its normal functioning is very helpful for maintaining normal body health. Any disease condition of the urinary bladder also affects other body functions. Here, in this article, we are going to study a disease condition of the urinary bladder. When the cells of the urinary bladder undergo uncontrolled growth and form abnormal tissue in the bladder lining, the condition is known as Bladder cancer. Let’s start with a detailed study!

Introduction

Bladder cancer is a condition which occurs when cells of the urinary bladder start growing uncontrolled and undergo malignant changes. The cells of the bladder start growing and mutating, which causes tumours in the bladder. If it is left untreated, it may spread to other parts of the body like the liver, lungs etc. It is the papillomatous growth in the bladder urothelium that can infiltrate the bladder wall and undergo malignant changes. It is a common type of cancer which occurs mostly in elderly patients but it can occur at any age. It is the 17th most common cancer in females and the 6th most common cancer in males globally. Here, in this article, we are going to study types, causes, signs and symptoms, stages, diagnosis, Ayurvedic overview, diet and management of Bladder cancer by Ayurvedic herbs and medicines. Also, we study Planet Ayurveda formulation to manage the condition of Bladder cancer. Let’s start!

Types Of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is differentiated into various types on the basis of cells that line the bladder wall from where the cancer starts. These types of bladder cancer can be defined as follows:

• Transitional cell carcinoma is also known as Urothelial carcinoma which is the most common type of bladder carcinoma. This type of cancer starts from the urothelial cell which lines the bladder from inside. It constitutes almost 90% of cases of Bladder cancer. Along with the bladder, this type of carcinoma can also occur in the ureters, the connecting part of the kidney and ureters and the urethra because these urothelial cells also line inside these structures.
• Squamous cell carcinoma starts in the squamous cells that line the bladder and contribute to about 5% of all bladder cancer. This type of cancer mostly develops in patients having long-term irritation and inflammation in the bladder. This carcinoma is invasive.
• Adenocarcinoma is a rare type of cancer in the bladder which is about 1% of all bladder cancer. This type of cancer mostly occurs in the glands which line the organs.
• Sarcoma is also a rare type of bladder cancer which occurs in the muscle cells of the bladder.
• Small cell carcinoma is an extremely rare type of carcinoma of the bladder. It usually starts in the neuroendocrine cells and it grows quickly.

Causes Of Bladder Cancer

The exact causes of bladder cancer are still unknown. There are various risk factors that can lead to the development of Bladder cancer which are as follows:

• Smoking as tobacco contains various chemicals which lead to cancer
• Age (mostly occurs in old age)
• Gender (males are more prone to bladder cancer as compared to females)
• Prolonged exposure to chemicals
• Chemotherapy drug use (Cyclophosphamide)
• Previous history of cancer
• Bladder stone, recurrent UTI
• Family history
• Diabetes drugs (Pioglitazone)

Signs Of Bladder Cancer

The most common signs that occur in the case of bladder cancer are as follows:

• Hematuria
• Changes in bladder habits

Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer

The symptoms of bladder cancer may vary from patient to patient and symptoms may also occur according to the severity of the condition. The symptoms of bladder cancer which are most common are as follows:

• Blood in urine
• Dysuria
• Dark coloured urine
• Pain in the abdominal area
• Frequent urination mostly at night time
• Unable to pass urine even on the urge to urinate
• Lower back pain
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Swelling on feet

Stages Of Bladder Cancer

There are four stages of bladder cancer which are as follows:

1. Stage 1 or T1 in which the tumour is confined to the surface lining of the bladder.
2. Stage 2 or T2 is when the tumour invades the muscle layer of the bladder.
3. Stage 3 or T3 is when the tumour invades into surrounding fat layers.
4. Stage 4 or T4 is when the tumour invades the different organs.

Diagnosis Of Bladder Cancer

Diagnosis of bladder cancer can be done by taking proper history of the patient like painless hematuria etc. The family history of the patient may also help in the diagnosis of bladder cancer. Here are some of the diagnostic tests that are useful in diagnosing bladder cancer.

• Urinalysis for hematuria, infection, red or white blood cell examination
• Cystoscopy for a proper view inside the bladder and urethra and it is the primary test to diagnose bladder cancer
• Cytology
• Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) for finding out the type or depth of the tumour
• Computed tomography (CT scan) to measure the size of the tumour
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to measure tumour size
• Urine tumour marker tests

Ayurvedic Overview Of Bladder Cancer

Cancer is the malignant overgrowth of cells of any organ. Here, we discussed cancer of the urinary bladder which means the cells of the bladder undergo malignant changes and grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. In Ayurveda, Bladder cancer can be correlated with Arbuda.

गात्रप्रदेशे क्वचिदेव दोषाः सम्मूर्छिता मांसमभिप्रदुष्य |
वृतं स्थिरं मंदरुजं महांतमनल्पमूलं चिरवृद्धयपाकम ||
कुर्वन्ति मांसोपचयं तु शोफ़ं तदर्बुदं शास्त्रविदो वदन्ति |
वातेन पित्तेन कफेन चापि रक्तेन मांसेन च मेदसा च ||
तज्जायत्ते तस्य च लक्षणानि ग्रन्थेः समानानि सदा भवन्ति ||

Reference – सुश्रुत संहिता निदानस्थान 11/13-15

According to the above text, when Tridosha (vata, Pitta and Kapha) vitiate and leads to the formation of round, painful, steady and grows slowly. This growth is present in Mamsa (Muscular), Medo (Adipose tissue) and Rakta (Blood) dhatu. These are the symptoms of Arbuda or cancer and when this condition is present in the Bladder, then it is called Bladder cancer. It involves all three dosha but the predominance of Kapha and Vata is present. It involves mamsa, meda and rakta vaha strotas.

Types Of Arbuda In Ayurveda

There are 6 types of Arbuda/ cancer mentioned in Ayurvedic texts which are as follows:

1. Vataj Arbuda
2. Pittaj Arbuda
3. Kaphaja Arbuda
4. Raktaja Arbuda
5. Medaj Arbuda
6. Mansaj Arbuda

Bladder cancer in Ayurveda is usually correlated with Mamsaj Arbuda. Vitiation of Doshas in the muscular part of the body known as Mamsarbuda. Due to rapid multiplication, a painless and stable structure is formed in Mamsa arbuda.

Ayurvedic Treatment Of Bladder Cancer

Ayurvedic line of treatment for Arbuda depends upon the type of Arbuda. The role of Panchkarma is very helpful in the management of Arbuda or Bladder cancer. The common Ayurvedic herbs that are useful in cancer management are Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Amla (Emblica officinalis), Haridra (Curcuma longa) and Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia). Some of the common treatments for Arbuda are as follows:

• Oil massage (Snehana)
• Steam therapy (Swedana)
• Therapeutic emesis (Vamana)
• Therapeutic purgation (Virechana)
• Medicated enema (Basti)
• Bloodletting (Raktamokshana)
• Nasal medication (Nasya)

Diet And Home Remedies For Bladder Cancer

• Steamed Vegetables like bottle gourd, ash gourd, round gourd, pumpkin, cabbage, potatoes, bitter melon, peas, beans, broccoli and carrot.
• Dry fruits like almonds, walnuts and figs can be taken after soaking overnight.
• Consumption of leaves like mint leaves, radish, coriander, spinach, lettuce, kale and wheatgrass.
• Fruits like apple, papaya, pear, plum, melon and pomegranate.
• Consumption of salads of carrot, cucumber, turnip, beetroot and radish is useful.
• Juice of coriander, spinach, basil leaves and mint leaves can be taken.
• Decoction of coriander, fennel and cumin can be taken twice a day.

Herbal Remedies For Bladder Cancer By Planet Ayurveda

Planet Ayurveda is a certified US-FDA-registered company that exports pure Herbal Ayurvedic formulations which are formed in a proper way as mentioned in Ayurvedic texts. All the medicines of Planet Ayurveda are prepared by highly qualified experts. The wide range of herbal formulations is present in the form of decoction, powder, tablet and capsules. All the products are formed after quality checks and raw material used in formulation is collected in high quality.

All the products of Planet Ayurveda are free from any fillers or adulterants. For bladder cancer, the Crab Care pack of Planet Ayurveda is very effective. This pack contains Ashwagandha capsules, Curcumin capsules, Kanchnaar Guggul, Tulsi capsules, Guggul Capsules and Chandraprabha Vati. Let’s study these formulations in detail!

1. Ashwagandha Capsule
2. Curcumin Capsules
3. Kanchnaar Guggul
4. Tulsi Capsules
5. Guggul Capsules
6. Chandraprabha Vati

Products Description

1. Ashwagandha Capsules

This herbal formulation of Planet Ayurveda contains an herbal extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) which is very effective in the management of bladder cancer. It helps in maintaining the healthy growth of the cells. It also reduces swelling due to its anti-inflammatory properties and also provides strength to the muscles.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice a day with warm water after meals.

2. Curcumin Capsules

Curcumin capsules of Planet Ayurveda contain a pure extract of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) which is effective due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also helps in enhancing the immunity of the body. It supports healthy cell structure and tissue growth.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice a day with warm water after meals.

3. Kanchnaar Guggul

This formulation contains ingredients like Kanchnaar (Bauhinia variegata), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Vibhitaki (Terminalia bellerica), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and many more. This formulation is very effective in cancer management and helps in maintaining healthy cells and tissue.

Dosage: 2 tablets thrice a day with warm water after meals.

4. Tulsi Capsules

These capsules contain the herbal extract of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) which is very effective in enhancing the normal functions of the immune system. It contains anti-cancer properties which help in reducing cell overgrowth.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice a day with warm water after meals.

5. Guggul Capsules

These capsules contain Guggul (Commiphora mukul) which is a gum resin obtained from a tree. It supports the healthy production of the cells. These capsules are rich in guggulsterones.

Dosage: 2 capsules twice a day with warm water after meals.

6. Chandraprabha Vati

This formulation of Planet Ayurveda is formed from a combination of more than 20 ingredients like Shilajit (Asphaltum punjabianum), Black pepper (Piper nigrum), Amalaki (Emblica officinalis), Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) and many more. It is very effective in the management of bladder cancer by managing urinary tract infections. It also helps in maintaining healthy body and blood functions.

Dosage: 2 capsules thrice a day with warm water after meals.

Conclusion

At last, from this article, we concluded that in the case of bladder cancer, the bladder cells grow rapidly and uncontrolled. Among the types of bladder cancer, Urothelial carcinoma is more common. In Ayurveda, it is correlated with Arbuda and more common with Mamsaj Arbuda. The Ayurvedic way of treatment of this condition is very effective for the management of the condition of bladder cancer. In the Allopathic system of medicine, Radiation therapy and surgery are the ultimate options which cause various complications in the body. However, Ayurvedic management is more effective with nil side effects. Planet Ayurveda Crab Care Pack is very helpful in the management of bladder cancer effectively.