Talking to Doctors: One Cancer Patient’s Experience

Seattle lawyer Gloria Nagler was diagnosed four years ago with endometrial cancer. She had a PAP smear, which was abnormal, and then a D&C procedure, and her doctor called her to tell her what was wrong.

On the phone, Gloria says, her doctor said, “Well, your vagina is OK. And your cervix was clean. …”

Obviously, the doctor was having trouble giving Gloria the bad news. (And I wonder if she was going to work her way through all of Gloria’s healthy body parts before she got to the one that was diseased.)

At that point, Gloria cut her off and asked, “Do I have cancer?” And the doctor responded “yes.”

Gloria says, “She was uncomfortable giving bad news. She should have gone and practiced it somewhere.”

I had a similar experience when I was first told that I had breast cancer. From that experience, the stories of other cancer patients, and research and writing I’ve done over the past few years, I would have to say that this kind of experience is very, very common.

Conclusion? Doctors need to learn to give bad news. And to give it in a way that does not cause their patients unnecessary additional distress.

Comments

[DONA FREED]

You sre absolutly right, Doctors need to tell the patient as soon as possible with information regarding the type of cancer a referral to a specialist and most of all making sure the patient leaves knowing there is something that can be done. A Doctor acting the way yours did had to make you feel that if your Doctor was that affaid to tell you that your cancer must be terminal, it must be really bad no hope ect.. I work for two Doctors in the field of hematology and oncology when I first started working there I had a problem with them telling the patients the truth I know it sounds silly but sometimes the truth is you have terminal lung cancer. You have 3 months or so left. If you want treatment you can maybe make it a year but with little quality of life. I use to think how awful and cold she was and didnt know if I could stay there working. As time went on I realized that cancer patients have more streaght than a 100 wild bulls and courage that reaches beyond the most brave. I have never once heard a patient or family member say they wish the Doctor had not told them. Every single patient knows what their chances are and about how long it will take to beat it. Depending on their will to fight and get through it determines how fast they have their life back. As a witness of many cancer patients that have passed and recovered there is no medicine that can be matched to the effects of family and friends sopport during the fight. I said way more than intended Best Wishes to all