Awareness of cancer, satisfaction with care, emotional distress, and adjustment to illness: an Italian multicenter study

Abstract

Most cancer patients were fully informed about their diagnosis, although awareness of disease was not coincident with awareness of prognosis and disease progression. Information and knowledge were not destructive of hope and did not increase distress. Family issues are still a significant factor molding openness and sharing of information.

Patients’ understanding of treatment goals and disease course and their relationship with optimism, hope, and quality of life: a preliminary study among advanced breast cancer outpatients before receiving palliative treatment

“…In this present study, we found that 58.2 % of the advanced breast cancer outpatients assumed their treatment intent incorrectly; in other words, they believed that the treatment was meant to cure their cancer completely. In contrast with other researchers' comments, it seems that the perceived curability of illness has not improved with respect to the past [10]. This finding may be a result of the medical characteristics of our sample.…”

“…Recently, Costantini et al classified 51 % of the total patients with metastatic cancer as having good awareness of prognosis (perceived low curability of disease) [10]. In a different study that was conducted with 147 patients with metastatic cancer in Italy, 72.4 % of the patients did not have appropriate awareness of prognosis [39].…”

“…Yet, in many cultures, such as in collectivist Asian and Muslim cultures, illness is a shared family affair, and concealing the truth is a common practice, whereas in Western cultures, the disclosure of diagnosis and terminal prognosis is regarded as patient autonomy [8]. Relating to these issues, the prognostic awareness of patients with cancer has generated a growing interest among researchers [9][10][11][12][13]. However, the prevalence of disease prognosis and perception of treatment purpose were inconsistent in these studies.…”

Experiences of cancer patients in Poland throughout diagnosis and treatment

“…; Costantini et al . ). Indeed, satisfaction with the kind of information provided has previously been associated with a more positive perception of the disease, and may correlate with improved disease outcomes and improved quality of life (Husson et al .…”

“Even if I Don’t Remember, I Feel Better”. A Qualitative Study of Patients with Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Undergoing Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy or Surgery

“…35 Satisfaction with knowledge and/or increased knowledge, are not associated with distress, [36][37][38][39][40] so high quality communication strategies that employ all aspects of the PCC model may be necessary to decrease distress, 21,41 for example discussion of faith and spirituality. 42…”