Cancer Surgery
at Oasis of Hope
The Place for Alternative Cancer Treatment
Surgery is the most effective treatment for early stage cancers, which is why early detection is so important. Dr. Francisco Contreras is an oncologist who specialized in surgery at the University of Vienna, Austria. He has performed tens of thousands of cancer surgeries since the early 1980s. His cumulative experience has been important for him to develop best surgical practices and taught him that a conservative approach is much better for patients that aggressive surgery. For example, in early stage breast cancer, he will opt for lumpectomy, when possible, as countless clinical studies conclude that lumpectomy is as effective, or superior to mastectomy in many cases.
The criteria used by Dr. Contreras and his team to determine the surgical interventions include: 1) Will it benefit the patient enough to justify the procedure? 2) Will the quality of life be improved or preserved by the procedure? 3) Will the survivability of the patient increase or not? Because Dr. Contreras is the chief of surgery, at Oasis of Hope, if you need a procedure, you will be in good hands, literally.
Nutritional Support
Nutritional support is important before and after surgery. Oasis of Hope’s whole food plant-based nutrition is filled with foods containing nutrients that boost the immune system and promote healing. Why is this so important? Surgery is immunosuppressive, causes inflammation and in some cases can dislodge tumor cells.
In addition to the nutrients in the Oasis of Hope diet, we provide specific nutritional supplements that act as anti-inflammatories, immune system boosters and metastases inhibitors. Some of the elements we provide include cimetidine, salsalate, melatonin and selenium.
Pentoxifylline
When our patients undergo major surgery that entails significant blood loss, we can employ a type of an oxygen-carrying chemical emulsion known as Pentoxifylline.
This ensures that the patient’s brain and other vital organs continue to receive adequate oxygenation during the surgery and recovery period, without the need for blood transfusions.
Blood transfusions, especially if the blood has been stored for long periods of time, can often trigger inflammatory reactions that can complicate post-surgical recovery, and in some instances, can lead to life-threatening multiple organ failure.
Pentoxifylline, or analogous blood substitutes, are not available in the U.S. or most other countries yet. It was registered for commercial medical use in Mexico by the Secretary of Health in November 2005 and is used in Oasis of Hope and other leading medical institutions throughout the nation.
Books by Doctor Contreras
