Is therapeutic non-disclosure still possible? A study on the awareness of cancer diagnosis in China

Abstract

Objective The objectives are to study cancer patients' awareness of their diagnosis and to determine who tends to disclose bad news to cancer patients. Method A total of 151 consecutive oral and maxillofacial cancer patients and their relatives were surveyed using semi-structured interviews. Results Of the 151 patients, 64.2% were aware of their cancer diagnosis. Of this group, 20.6% had been told by physicians and 17.5% were informed by relatives, with the remaining 61.9% acquiring the diagnosis on their own. The more educated patients were more likely to be aware they had cancer. Conclusion Despite efforts by family members to conceal cancer diagnoses from patients, the majority of patients discovered the diagnosis of their own accord. This finding suggests that therapeutic non-disclosure is not very effective at withholding the truth from patients.