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J Thai Trad Alt Med Vol. 18 No. 2 May-Aug 2020 395

Comparison of the Effects of Curcuma longa Extract and Fish Oil Dietary Intakes
on Nutritional Status and Quality of Life of Cancer Patients at Non Khun
Hospital, Si Sa Ket Province

Ploen Soongkote*, Phunnee Worathum, Sarapee Nonta, Chantana Kamchatsattrupai,
Ploenpit Boonchalee, Chojirate Wantavee, Weerachart Worathum, Sasikan Sugkeaw
Non Khun Hospital, Non Khun District, Si Sa Ket 33250, Thailand
Corresponding author: Ploensong 25090@gmail.com.
*

Abstract
Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death in the country; and cancer deaths are due to metastases,
especially in major organs, with poor nutritional status especially cachexia or extreme weight loss indicating disease
progression and outcome. Objective: Comparison of the effects of Curcuma longa L. or tumeric extract and fish
oil dietary intakes on nutritional status and quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients. Methods: With a randomized
experimental design, 42 cancer patients, divided equally, took part in two groups of a 12-week study. Each day,
Group 1 received 2,000 mg of tumeric extract and Group 2 received 2,000 gm of fish oil. Their quality of life and
nutritional status were assessed before and after the experiment. For quality of life assessments, the WHOQOL-
BREF-THAI instrument was used. Data were collected and then analyzed to determine within and between groups’
differences, based on the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test. Results: In Group 1, of all 21 participants, 42.85% were
diagnosed with liver cancer and 28.56% with colorectal cancer; 38.09% had undergone surgery and 47.61% had a
normal body mass index (BMI). For Group 2, of all 21 participants, the same proportions of 33.38% were diagnosed
with liver cancer or colorectal cancer, 71.42% had undergone surgery and 57.14% had a normal BMI. In both
groups, based on pre- and post-intervention comparison, their overall nutritional status and quality of life after the
experiment improved significantly (p < 0.05). Concerning within-group comparison, pre- and post-intervention,
the tumeric group had nutritional status scores of 8.00 and 7.58, while the fish-oil group had significantly differ-
ent nutritional status scores of 7.64 and 13.00 (p < 0.05; 95%CI 0.001–0.133), respectively. As for quality of life
within-group comparison, the tumeric group had a significantly higher QOL level after intervention (mean score,
79.0 vs 93.0; p < 0.05; 95%CI 0.001-0.133), while the fish-oil group also had a significantly higher QOL level after
intervention (mean score 78.0 vs 94.0; p < 0.05; 95%CI 0.000-0.130). As for between Group 1 (tumeric) and Group
2 (fish oil) comparison, post-intervention, their nutritional status scores were not significantly different at 6.72 and
7.85, respectively; while their QOL levels were not significantly different either at 79.43 and 76.29, respectively.
Conclusions: Cancer patients, who had extreme weight loss and took tumeric or C. longa extract and fish oil, did
not experience any differences in the increases in nutritional status and quality of life. It is thus suggested that
taking tumeric extract or fish oil should be an option for self-care and rehabilitation for such patients.
Key words: cancer patient, nutritional status, quality of life

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มะเร็งเป็นสาเหตุการเสียชีวิตอันดับหนึ่งของ ส�าคัญ เช่น ปอด ตับ กระดูกและสมอง สถานการณ์
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ประเทศ แนวโน้มประชาชนที่ป่วยเป็นโรคมะเร็งทั่ว มะเร็งปัจจุบันของประเทศไทยเริ่มเปลี่ยนแปลงไปใน
โลกเพิ่มสูงขึ้นเป็นล�าดับ ผู้ป่วยที่เสียชีวิตจากโรค แนวโน้มที่ใกล้เคียงกับประเทศในภูมิภาคที่เจริญแล้ว