Is therapeutic non-disclosure still possible? A study on the awareness of cancer diagnosis in China
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Dian-can Wang1, Chuan-bin Guo, Xin Peng
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, 22 South Zhongguancun Avenue, Haidian District, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
Objective:
The objectives are to study cancer patients' awareness of their diagnosis and to determine who tends to disclose bad news to cancer patients.
Method:
A total of 151 consecutive oral and maxillofacial cancer patients and their relatives were surveyed using semi-structured interviews.
Results:
Of the 151 patients, 64.2% were aware of their cancer diagnosis. Of this group, 20.6% had been told by physicians and 17.5% were informed by relatives, with the remaining 61.9% acquiring the diagnosis on their own. The more educated patients were more likely to be aware they had cancer.
Conclusion:
Despite efforts by family members to conceal cancer diagnoses from patients, the majority of patients discovered the diagnosis of their own accord. This finding suggests that therapeutic non-disclosure is not very effective at withholding the truth from patients.
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