[Public opinion on informing patients about their cancer diagnosis in 1976 and 1986]

The investigators compared public opinion on informing patients about their cancer diagnosis in the years 1976 and 1986. The number of positive opinions on informing patients with good prognosis substantially grew in the study period probably because the conviction that cancer can be cured grew too over that time. The number of positive opinions was low in cases with bad prognosis and it did not change in the study period. Psychological studies show that the needs and reactions of patients to being informed about their diagnosis are different. Many researchers think, however, that professional information about the disease and the treatment is better than incidentally obtained information or the patient's own speculation.