Cancer Patients Want Doctors to Hit Them With the Truth
Donna Hildreth fell ill with what doctors told her was bronchitis.
When she wouldn't get better doctors performed tests and discovered something much more serious.
The 62-year-old woman said she sensed something bad was about to happen and wanted doctors to be straight with her.
Donna insisted the doctor give her the worst case scenario of her health.
The doctor told her lung cancer was the worst possible scenario.
Turns out it was lung cancer.
Throughout her chemo treatment Donna asked that doctors be honest and realistic about how long she had to live.
Donna died one month after battling her chemo treatment.
Even though doctors had grim news Donna said she still wanted the truth.
She is not among a small number of cancer patients who want honesty from doctors.
According to a recent survey, 500 people with lung, breasts or prostate cancer said they would absolutely want to their odds of dying.
Ninety-five percent said they wanted their doctor to be honest about their chances of a cure and how long they can expect to live, says Ajay Bhatnagar, MD, a radiation oncologist at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh.
Men with prostate cancer were more likely to want their doctors to be honest about their odds of survival than people with lung cancer: 97% vs.
91%.
"In oncology, a strong physician-patient relationship is essential because the patients interactions with their doctor can help the patient confidently make life or death decisions, such as what cancer treatment is best for them," Ajay Bhatnagar, M.
D.
, lead author of the study, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Treatment Services International in Casa Grande, Ariz.
, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh said.
"Oncologists can use these results to provide greater patient satisfaction for their patients, and therefore significantly improve patient care.
" The most significant preference is that more than one-third of female cancer patients (37 percent) prefer to have their hands held by their radiation oncologists during important office visits, compared to 12 percent of men.
It is estimated that 555,500 Americans will die from cancer.
Many of these patients will receive care and treatment.
This study wanted to find out what cancer patients wanted from their patient-doctor relationship and whether their physicians would be able to change their behaviors to satisfy their patients' preferences if they had knowledge of these preferences.
Researchers emphasize that the results indicate that the ability of the staffs' team with regard to interpersonal communication treatment is as important to patients as is their professional ability.
When she wouldn't get better doctors performed tests and discovered something much more serious.
The 62-year-old woman said she sensed something bad was about to happen and wanted doctors to be straight with her.
Donna insisted the doctor give her the worst case scenario of her health.
The doctor told her lung cancer was the worst possible scenario.
Turns out it was lung cancer.
Throughout her chemo treatment Donna asked that doctors be honest and realistic about how long she had to live.
Donna died one month after battling her chemo treatment.
Even though doctors had grim news Donna said she still wanted the truth.
She is not among a small number of cancer patients who want honesty from doctors.
According to a recent survey, 500 people with lung, breasts or prostate cancer said they would absolutely want to their odds of dying.
Ninety-five percent said they wanted their doctor to be honest about their chances of a cure and how long they can expect to live, says Ajay Bhatnagar, MD, a radiation oncologist at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh.
Men with prostate cancer were more likely to want their doctors to be honest about their odds of survival than people with lung cancer: 97% vs.
91%.
"In oncology, a strong physician-patient relationship is essential because the patients interactions with their doctor can help the patient confidently make life or death decisions, such as what cancer treatment is best for them," Ajay Bhatnagar, M.
D.
, lead author of the study, a radiation oncologist at Cancer Treatment Services International in Casa Grande, Ariz.
, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in Pittsburgh said.
"Oncologists can use these results to provide greater patient satisfaction for their patients, and therefore significantly improve patient care.
" The most significant preference is that more than one-third of female cancer patients (37 percent) prefer to have their hands held by their radiation oncologists during important office visits, compared to 12 percent of men.
It is estimated that 555,500 Americans will die from cancer.
Many of these patients will receive care and treatment.
This study wanted to find out what cancer patients wanted from their patient-doctor relationship and whether their physicians would be able to change their behaviors to satisfy their patients' preferences if they had knowledge of these preferences.
Researchers emphasize that the results indicate that the ability of the staffs' team with regard to interpersonal communication treatment is as important to patients as is their professional ability.
