Survey: Oncologists Carry High Expectations of Their Patients

In classic oncology fashion, results of a survey presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology meeting in Spain are framed in such a way as to suggest some failing on the part of the patient, and not the doctor.

Although falling out of favor, for a long time oncologists would say, "the patient failed frontline therapy" even though the patient didn't fail a damn thing-- the treatment is what failed, and by extension, the doctor did too, in choosing that treatment.

In that same vein, along comes a survey of 895 physicians presented over the weekend. Medical News Today headlined it thus:

"Many patients lack information about the use of targeted therapies, oncologists say."

Stupid patients.

Results showed that most docs (82%) believed that treatment decision is a process shared between the doctor and/or the multidisciplinary team and the patient. This is only positive-sounding until you realize that 18 percent don't think this way.

Around 22 percent of physicians believed their patients were always fully informed of their treatment options. Seventy-eight percent believe their patients aren't fully informed. Whose fault is that, do you suppose?

Not the doctors. In fact, they say nurses are the best source of information for their patients-- but only 45 percent think their patients have access to nurse support.

Seventy-three percent of physicians believed their patients know that tumors can be tested to help them decide on the ideal treatment type. Honestly, why would anyone be expected to know this? People tend to know as little as possible about cancer until they absolutely have to. Assuming patients know this is like assuming customers who bring their computers in to Best Buy to be fixed know exactly what's wrong and how to fix it.

Source:
Abstract: 1080O_PR

Physicians' awareness and understanding of personalized medicine in the treatment of cancer and its adoption in clinical practice: a multinational survey, F. Ciardiello, J. Tabernero, T. Seufferlein, J. Taïeb, V. Moiseyenko, B. Ma, G. López, R. Esser, R. Adams.

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