[Participation in the national experiment of cancer diagnosis disclosure in neuro-oncology: implications and the perception of the health care team]

Bull Cancer. 2005 Apr;92(4):373-80.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Announcement of cancer diagnosis and first contact with medical team in charge of treatment is critical for the patient as well as for the quality of care. The French Cancer Plan include a special focus on these announcement which should be performed in adequate conditions and which should include the presentation of a personalised treatment plan, that reflect multidisciplinary discussion and decision performed before. In order to generalized a formal announcement consultation all over the country in 2005, an experimentation has been performed in 58 centers grouped in 37 projects. Neuro-Oncology Unit of the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Marseille did participate to that experimentation. Evaluation of these experiment focus on physician, nurse, and patient perception as well as cost impact and exploration of language during that particular time. Implication of a referent nurse in that time was a strong option of our center. We analyzed the result in 80 patients referred in our center for initial diagnosis (78%) or announcement of recurrence (14%) in a 5 months time. Implication of the nurse appear to be critical for patient confidence and accessibility to information for the all medical team. Organization of a particular time devoted to cancer announcement appear to have a favourable impact on quality of care and patient perception, and constitute a first step to a personalized management of patients with cancer.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Brain Neoplasms / psychology
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy
  • Documentation / standards*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnosis*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / psychology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / therapy
  • Nurse's Role
  • Patient Care Team* / organization & administration
  • Quality of Health Care*
  • Truth Disclosure*