[Cancer: Communicating the diagnosis and prognosis]

The diagnoses and prognoses that medical professionals have to communicate in cases of cancer come with special problems. Of all fatal diseases, cancer possibly causes most psychological impact on the patient. Although, by nature, medical professionals are aware of this negative impact and take care to be as prudent and human as possible, recent studies have shown that the "psychological factors of the patient" are of direct relevance to the medical factors in cancer, over and above their importance on quality of life during the course of the disease. This direct relevance needs replies that go beyond purely medical knowledge, as well as a specific training as to their application. Interdisciplinary medical-psychological cooperation is probably required. Studies indicate that compliance with both requisites may bring an improvement to clinical results. In Europe, although less than in the United States of America, the necessary inclusion has been the recognition of psychological training in academic pre- and postgraduate training in communicating these cases.