L’informazione alla persona affetta da cancro e alla sua famiglia

In the last decades informing an oncological patient about the diagnosis, treatments and prognosis of the disease of which he/she is suffering from has changed a lot. The word "informing" got a different meaning from "telling the truth". Informing the patient means acquainting him/her with the events he/she will face, but "what and how to say" respecting the patient's will, his/her dignity, ability of comprehension requires to the physician willingness, attention and respect. Studying communication and its techniques has an essential importance in the physician - patient relationship. Sick person, beyond the words, feels -not only in a conscious level - if the physician is sincere: he/her can read it from his glance, can catch from silences more than words. This study aims to show up the patient's need of communicating, considering that communicating means already helping the patient. It is common knowledge that communication is influenced by a series of clinical criteria: type and localization of neoplasia, stage, PS, type of treatment. We planned a questionnaire made of two specular halves, one for the patient and one for the physician. We highlighted that: 1. The given information is directly influenced by the type and the stage of the disease; 2. Patients want to know diagnosis and prognosis; 3. Physicians don't recognize requests for information made by the patients; 4. The level of satisfaction during the physical check up and the presence of a physician able to recognize the emotions could condition the comprehension of diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutic program and then compliance of the patient as well as psychological state and trust in the physician. Difficult to communicate the real prognosis and the aggravation induces patient to hope always in recovery without developing the ability to prepare him/herself to the end of life. Keeping in mind personal and fundamental values of every patient, physician should help sick person to face awareness of his/her life is going to end. Only in this way, he/she can bring about a suitable palliative care, directed to relieve symptoms, and free the patient from false illusions, allowing him/her to recover affections and family relationships which would remain unexpressed instead, during the remaining time.