Communication of prognosis in head and neck cancer patients; a descriptive qualitative analysis

During the last decade patient centered communication and patient involvement in treatment decisions has become an important approach in clinical care [1]. The shared decision making approach (SDM) is considered to be a central component of treatment decision consultations [2]. Patients need to be well-informed in order to be able to be actively involved in treatment decisions [3]. Prognostic information may be a valuable factor in considering treatment options [4]. Besides content, the communication style within the professional setting is also important, especially since patients tend to remember only 20 –60% of the information provided by their physician [5,7,8].

Source: Oral Oncology - July 22, 2018 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Emilie A.C. Dronkers, Arta Hoesseini, Maarten F. de Boer, Marinella P.J. Offerman Source Type: research