UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: Telling the truth is one of the bioethical questions in oncology and palliative care. Nowadays the attitudes towards this problem are being changed. The purpose of this study is to examine the attitude of doctors to telling the truth to cancer patients in the period of transition to truth-telling. Methods: 478 doctors were asked to express their opinion on the main principles of breaking bad news to cancer patients. We examined doctors' points of view on whether it is necessary to tell the truth to cancer patients or not, how much we must tell and when, what are the basic conditions, and principles of breaking bad news. Results: The doctors consider that it is necessary to tell the truth to cancer patients (91%). It has been suggested that ineffective or insensitive news disclosure can have a long term adverse impact on the patients, and it can cause difficulties in doctor-patient communication (83%). More than a half have noted that it is important to develop the skills of breaking bad news. The respondents think that they must do it with care and intelligence in different periods of illness. The research has shown that the necessity of telling the truth to cancer patients is obvious. But doctors must be well prepared in breaking bad news. Good practice guidelines have been introduced into education at the State Medical Academy and are followed in clinical practice today.