Quality of Life in Advanced Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy in SuratThani Cancer Hospital

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in female patients worldwide. According to global cancer statistics for 2022, there were nearly 20 million new cancer cases globally, with breast cancer accounting for 11.6%. In Thailand, according to a statistical report from the Health Data Center (HDC) in 2022, there were 38,555 cases of breast cancer. At the provincial level, based on data from SuratThani Cancer Hospital during the 5-year period (fiscal years 2020–2024), there were a total of 2,653 new cases. Breast cancer significantly impacts both the physical and mental health of women. Therefore, the researcher conducted this study with the objectives of examining the quality of life in advanced breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and studying the problems, needs, and opinions regarding the promotion of their quality of life. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative methods using the same purposively selected sample group of 110 participants. A breast cancer-specific quality of life measurement scale and an interview form were used. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and content analysis. The findings indicated that mixed-methods research, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches, yielded more complete results than single-method research. Specifically, the quantitative findings based on the 5 dimensions of the quality of life measurement scale showed an overall moderate level of quality of life, with a score of 59.655 (41.43%). The qualitative findings provided data in 3 dimensions: 5 problem areas, 4 identified needs, and 3 opinions regarding quality of life promotion. These findings enhanced the comprehensiveness of the study and increased the practical value of the results. The quantitative research assessed quality of life in cancer-specific aspects, while in the qualitative research, participants described illness in terms of physical symptoms and emotional suffering. The quantitative research did not include economic aspects, whereas the qualitative findings revealed economic issues as significant problems contributing to greater hardship among many patients and significantly impacted their quality of life.