A pioneering physician

Dr. C.P. Mathew's legacy in integrative oncology.

Four decades of clinical experience, thoughtful integration, and an enduring commitment to individualized cancer care.

Dr. C. P. Mathew's legacy in integrative oncology

A clinical legacy

An early vision for integrative care

Dr. C.P. Mathew, Kerala's first medical oncologist, left behind more than four decades of clinical records documenting his approach to cancer care. His case diaries, containing records of over 4,000 patients, provide valuable insight into his efforts to integrate modern medicine with Ayurveda and Siddha.

After serving as Head of Oncology and Vice Principal at Kottayam Medical College, Dr. C. P. Mathew continued his cancer practice at Cherian Ashram in Kottayam from 2003. There, a multidisciplinary team of modern medical doctors, Ayurveda physicians, and Naturopathy and Yoga experts worked together to provide holistic care.

Inspired by his experiences with cancer patients, Dr. C. P. Mathew extensively studied Siddha and Ayurveda and incorporated selected traditional treatments alongside modern medical interventions. His work represents an early and distinctive example of integrative oncology in India.

His extensive clinical records and experiences offer a valuable resource for understanding the evolution of integrative cancer care and deserve further study from a scientific and evidence-based perspective. On October 19, 2021, Dr. C. P. Mathew passed away at the age of 92.

Dr. C. P. Mathew

Clinical records

Decades of documented cancer care.

Commonly treated cancers

  • Breast cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Colon cancer
  • Stomach cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Oral cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Acute myeloid leukemia
  • Acute lymphoid leukemia
  • Sarcomas
  • Liver cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Glioblastomas

Recognition

A quiet practice,
widely acknowledged.

Dr. C. P. Mathew did not seek publicity for his clinical approach. The trust of patients and their personal recommendations steadily brought his work to wider attention, eventually leading to formal recognition of his service and contributions to integrative cancer care.

2016

Service to society

Golden Leaf Award

Servants of Nature honoured Dr. C. P. Mathew at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club in June 2016. Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy presented the award in recognition of Dr. C. P. Mathew's service to the community.

2021

Contribution to cancer care

Lifetime Achievement Award

Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth and the National Institute of Siddha jointly recognised his sustained contribution to cancer care and his work across modern and traditional systems of medicine.

Features & archives

Articles, research and recorded perspectives.

Mathrubhumi Remembering The Father of Integrative Medicine – Prof. Dr CP Mathew Read Article National Institute of Siddha National Institute of Siddha on Prof. Dr. C. P. Mathew View Post SIMAI Kerala Dr. C. P. Mathew Shares His Perspective on Siddha Day View Post National Institutes of Health Learnings from a Veteran Oncologist's Long-Standing Efforts in Integrative Oncology Read Article MedBound Times Dr. C. P. Mathew: Kerala's Cancer Care Pioneer Who Defied Convention Read Article Organiser Remembering Kerala's First Cancer Specialist, Dr. C. P. Mathew Read Article

Featured on All India Radio

Sharing Health Insightswith a Wider Community.

In the “Samoohyapadam” interview, Dr. C.P. Mathew advocates for integrative cancer care, combining conventional treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy with traditional systems such as Ayurveda and Siddha to improve patients' quality of life, manage side effects, and provide individualized support for advanced stages of cancer.

Featured programme · All India Radio
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