Patient centered communication with cancer patients

View Points

Abstract

The words “you have cancer” almost always have a devastating affect on the patient who receives this diagnosis. Common reactions are feelings of uncertainty and loss of control over one’s life. 1 Over time, cancer patients will encounter situations which will further disrupt their quality of life (QOL). Examples include: understanding complex medical information; making difficult treatment decisions; dealing with adverse affects from the medications; living with the fear of recurrence; and for some impending death. 2 Apart from prolonging survival, another key goal of cancer care, is to minimize the isease and treatment of patients’ functioning and well-being. 3 The significance of doctor-patient interactions and in particular patient-centered communication (PCC) and their potential to influence patients’ well-being and behaviour has been illustrated. 4-8 Whereas, the paternalistic medical model that once dominated patient-physician interaction is increasingly being replaced by a shared decision making or patient-centered model of communication especially with chronic illnesses such as cancer. 9-10