“CANCER” IMPACTS PATIENTS’ TREATMENT PREFERENCES

The terminology a doctor uses when breaking the news of a diagnosis to a patient could affect which course of treatment the patient opts for. Women are more likely to choose surgery to treat ductal carcinoma in situ, a non-invasive type of breast lesion, when the word cancer is used in its description. When it is presented to them as “a breast lesion” or “abnormal cells,” as opposed to “non-invasive breast cancer,” they are more open to alternative treatment options like drugs and watchful waiting. More… Discuss