Assessment of prognostic aspects of cancer by Taila Bindu Pariksha

INTRODUCTION: For the diagnosis of various aspects of disease and diseased person, several methods have been described in the Ayurvedic texts. These can be broadly classified into Roga and Rogi Pariksha. Several methods of Roga-Rogi Pariksha such as Ashtasthana, Dashavidha, Dvadashavidha Pariksha are described. Mutra Pariksha was the main laboratory investigative tools in the past and it is included under Ashtasthana, Pariksha. There is no direct description of methodology to ascertain the prognosis of cancer in the Ayurvedic classics. Taila Bindu Pariksha, which is a part of Mutra Pariksha helps in assessing the prognosis of a disease. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) had developed the scale to ascertain prognosis of cancer in 1955. These ECOG performance scale gives doctors and research scholars a scale with which they can quickly assess the functional capacity of a patient and the progress of disease. AIM: To evaluate the prognosis of cancer by Taila Bindu Pariksha and compare the results with ECOG scale. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pilot study was undertaken on a single group of 20 cancer patients which are advised radio or chemotherapy for further management. The urine samples collected from the patients were subjected to Taila Bindu Pariksha. The ECOG scale was also assessed and compared with shape and direction of spread. RESULT: In majority of the patients, the correlation was found statistically highly significant. CONCLUSION: Taila Bindu Pariksha may be used as an alternative method to ascertain the prognosis of the cancer patients.