Page 30 - วารสารกรมการแพทย์แผนไทยฯ ปีที่ 18 ฉบับที่ 1

20 วารสารการแพทย์แผนไทยและการแพทย์ ทางเลือก ปีที่ 18 ฉบับที่ 1 มกราคม-เมษายน 2563

Herbal Use and Symptom Experiences of Cancer Patients: A Cross-sectional
Survey in Cancer Patients with MORSANG Herbal Medicine Formularies

Monthaka Teerachaisakul , Thanat Nakaphan , Rossukon Klinhom , Chattip Silarangsri ,
*,#
‡
†
†
Kamonwan Bancheun , Thanunchanok Chamyenura , Nuchlada Rochanapraphaphun ,
†
§
§
Pramote Stienrut ¶
Division of Herb for Economy, Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health,
*
Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
Thai Traditional Medicine Research Institute, Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public
†
Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
Medical laboratory, Rajanukul institute, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
‡
Prachin Buri Provincial Health Office, Prachin Buri 25000, Thailand.
§
Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand.
¶
Corresponding author: monthaka.t@gmail.com
#
Abstract
The waiting phenomena of free herbal medicine (MORSANG RECIPES: MS) dispensing for cancer patients in
the year 2017 caused concern and reflected treatment needs among cancer patients themselves. This cross-sectional
survey therefore aimed to explore 1) demographic and health profile, 2) cancer treatment (conventional and alterna-
tive medicine), and 3) symptom distress among these cancer patients. This study was conducted using developed
questionnaires on cancer patients who received MS herbal recipes from January to March 2018. Descriptive statistics
were analyzed with the SPSS program. Only 1,086 cancer patients were eligible for the study. The mean age of
the participants was 53.21 ± 10.24 years. 71.45% were female. Two hundred and twenty-one patients (20.34%)
reported using complementary/alternative medicine and herbal medicine in the past. Six hundred and forty-eight
patients (59.66%) disclosed that they were not undergoing conventional cancer treatment (CCT), with 429 patients
(66.20%) having completed CCT. 123 patients (18.98%) were in line waiting for CCT while 96 patients (14.81%)
rejected to continue the CCT. The five most distressing symptoms of patients were pain, weakness, sleeplessness,
tingling or numbness in the tip of fingers and anxiety. No serious adverse events from MS recipes were reported.
This large cancer patient-based study reveals the treatments received by cancer patients, and also identifies the five
most distressing symptoms experienced by cancer patients that need to be minimized. We also found 123 patients
who were waiting for CCT. The results of this study might lead to further improvement of integrated health care
services for cancer patients.
Key words: needs, symptom experiences, cancer patients, herbal medicine

บทนำ�และวัตถุประสงค์ โรคมะเร็งอยู่ในเอเชีย สอดคล้องกับข้อมูลจำ�นวน
[1]
สำ�นักง�นวิจัยมะเร็งน�น�ช�ติ (International และอัตร�ก�รต�ยต่อประช�กร 100,000 คน ต�ม
Agency for Research on Cancer: IARC) เผย กลุ่มส�เหตุก�รต�ย 10 กลุ่มแรก พ.ศ. 2560 จ�กกอง

ข้อมูลว่� ทวีปเอเชียมีจำ�นวนผู้ป่วยที่เสียชีวิตจ�ก ยุทธศ�สตร์และแผนง�น สำ�นักง�นปลัดกระทรวง
โรคมะเร็งม�กที่สุด กว่�ครึ่งหนึ่งของผู้เสียชีวิตจ�ก ส�ธ�รณสุข พบว่� มะเร็งและเนื้องอกทุกชนิดเป็น