Standalone Ayurvedic management of carcinoma of vocal cord - a case report

Laryngeal cancer is the most common malignant tumor among head and neck cancers in the world. Half of laryngeal cancers involve the vocal folds. Ayurvedic science being comprehensive, may not have described contemporary diseases as we read in modern texts. However, many contemporary diseases can be evaluated well by applying Ayurvedic diagnostic and therapeutic tools such as Nidana Panchaka, Agni (digestive fire) assessment, Dosha (body humors), Dhatu (body tissues), and Mala (excretory products), Srotas (body channels). Here a case study of a 72 year old patient with chief complaint of hoarseness of voice and having biopsy confirmed as squamous cell carcinoma of left vocal cord is treated. The patient was treated with Ayurvedic medications like Rakta prasadaka hima, kwatha prepared from Kanchnar bark, Yashtimadhu churana and Gomutra, combination of drugs which included jaharmohra pishti, Kahrva pishti, Tapyadi lauh, Vaikrant bhasma, Swarna bhasma, Heerak bhasma given with Drakshavaleh, Tab cytocruel AT, Kanthsudharak vati. The size of nodule in CECT neck and GRBAS score (for hoarseness of voice) declined significantly after treatment and the voice of patient was improved. Thus a case of carcinoma of left vocal cord treated successfully only with Ayurvedic treatment without any conventional therapy and with no side effects.