Volume 1

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the change of symptoms and quality of life(QOL) of patients with lung cancer after chemotherapy treatment and to research the experiences about complementary and alternative medicine use.
Methods: The symptoms and quality of life were assessed using the questionnaires Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and Lung Cancer Module (LC13), version 3.0. And questionnaire developed by researchers was used to assess the experiences of lung cancer patients who receive chemotherapy treatment about complementary and alternative medicine use. For the data analysis, the SPSS 22.0 program was used. Actual number as well as the percentage, mean, standard deviation, paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used for statistical analysis.
Results: There were 24 male and 4 female participants and an average age was 64.2 years (46-80 years). During chemotherapy, there was a clinically-significant improvement in the emotional function, in the symptoms of insomnia, appetite loss and cough. However, improvement of appetite loss and cough was probably due in part to usage of oral medications. Clinically there was an aggravation of the function scales of physical and role function and of the symptoms of dyspnea, constipation and diarrhea. Nausea and vomiting, peripheral neuropathy and alopecia significantly deteriorated during chemotherapy. 14.3% of patients in the study used complementary and alternative medicine. 39.3% of patients wanted to use complementary and alternative medicine with chemotherapy and as the chief reason for choosing these therapies, 81.9% of those had an expectation that these therapies would be effective in treating symptoms or improving disease.
Conclusions: There were the symptoms which were aggravated because of the toxicity of the chemotherapy medications. To reduce the symptoms and treat the disease, some lung cancer patients have willing to use complementary and alternative medicine with chemotherapy.