Cancer diagnosis and prognosis in Taiwan: patient preferences versus experiences

Considering the emphasis of nonmaleficence and beneficence and the relative power of family, there is a well-recognized suggestion that, in Asian culture, informing cancer patients about their diagnosis and prognosis should be modified according to the family's opinion. However, up until now, except in Japan, the argument that cancer patients from an Asian culture have different preferences about being informed of their diagnosis and prognosis has not been demonstrated by evidence-based studies especially by directly exploring cancer patients' preferences. The purpose of this study was to describe Taiwanese cancer patients' knowledge and experiences of being informed of their diagnosis and prognosis. Preferences of information from health-care professionals and attitudes toward disclosing information to family and even respecting family's opinions not to disclose the life-threatening diagnosis and prognosis to patients have also been explored from the patient's point of views. Evidence from this study demonstrated that Taiwanese cancer patients' information needs are substantial. However, the common practice of nondisclosure of prognosis and detailed disease-related information by health-care professionals continues. Cancer patients in Taiwan expressed a strong preference for health-care professionals to inform them of disease-related information before disclosing information to their family members. Health-care professionals need to consider and respect cancer patients' views rather than routinely taking the family's opinions into consideration first in the event of disagreement.