“A Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) is a Dr. with a medical
degree who has taken all the courses of a medical student plus,
“on top of all those courses is Osteopathic Principles and Practice.” There, in lies the distinction. It’s manipulation. According
to the doctor, many D.O.s view it as a tool to aid in the “manipulation” of the whole body, spine, lymphoid, and soft tissue. This
is a learned specialty. Not every D.O. uses it.” Manipulation is a
complimentary or cooperative method to the traditional treatment in oncology that gives a more holistic approach to treating
the patient. With that said, one might ask how is the manipulation of utilizing the whole body, spine, lymphoid, and soft tissue
helpful in aiding a cancer patient.
Traditional
&
Complimentary
Cancer Care
By Gina Battle
Advice from a D.O. Specialist
Nobody ever wants to hear the words, “You have cancer. I’m
sorry.” Cancer affects people daily and does not discriminate.
The natural inclination in conjunction with the fear, shock and
the unknown after receiving a cancer diagnosis is to sort out all
viable options, including seeking the best medical advice and
treatment from a compassionate, caring doctor who is equally
determined to fight for quality longevity.
Eric T. Lubiner, D.O., Board Certified Physician in Medical Oncology, Hematology & Internal Medicine is one of five partners at
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute with two locations in Port Charlotte and North Port, Florida.
Before making his way to South West Florida in 2000, the good
doctor was busy building an impressive academic resume. He
earned a Doctoral degree and worked as a nuclear medical technologist before going to medical school. He took up dentistry
and completed his Residency in Hematology Medical Oncology.
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62 FOCUS of SWFL 2014
Manipulation is beneficial to patients because every disease –
cancer in particular is based on the anatomy, where the cancerous tumor is located in the body and other areas it may
possibly affect. There are clinical trials that show if something
in your stomach is bothersome the issue could very well have
manifested or be in the area of the back. The symptoms can be
multifaceted and can include many variables and it is the position of the D.O. to learn very quickly, probably more so than
an M.D. the location it began and “what it stems from”. Dr. Lubiner has observed “D.O.s make very good oncologists because
oncologists are really the primary care physician’s link to the
patient.” Once someone has a diagnosis of cancer the oncologist or D.O. takes over and the patient along with the specialist
will build a quick rapport through consultation, chemotherapy,
and radiation treatments; often times resulting in less frequent
visits to the primary physician, if at all. However, this is not
recommended.
The word cancer has the power to evoke incredible pain and
emotion. There’s no cure for cancer. It is often detrimental for
patients, their families and caregivers. Researchers are making
daily strides toward a cure. There are many things we as laypeople are still unaware of.
• It’s a natural occurrence for the cells in our body to become
tissue, then to become organs during the process of in utero
development. That’s considered following the rules. Sometimes
cells break the rules.
Researchers are targeting cells and mutations in order to get
further knowledge about them. The targeted mutations and the
effects they cause will allow researchers to understand how
the cells break the rules. Once this is found out they will be
prevented from having the ability to travel to the lung, liver,
pancreas or other organs growing and spreading