Does alternative and traditional WASAM [local cautery] therapy facilitate an early and more extensive locoregional metastasis of breast cancer?

ABSTRACT

Introduction: A large heterogeneous group of unproven remedies exist to treat cancer in both developed and developing countries. Some of these remedies often do more harm than good to the patients. The traditional medicine is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures. The traditional medicine in Oman is based on herbal treatment and skin treatment [massage, Cupping and skin burn "cautery" treatment-known as Wasam or Kaiy]. WASAM [local cautery] is widely practiced in Oman for treating cancer. The loco-regional spread of breast cancer depends on numerous factors like tumour size, grade, receptor status, Ki67, Lympho vascular invasion, location of tumour within the breast, multifocal tumour, depth of tumour from skin, and status of local/regional lymphatic drainage