Clinicians should make patients aware of all treatment options, which may include clinical trials or palliative care alone for certain patients. For appropriate patients, such as those with incurable cancers, clinicians should also discuss the option of starting palliative care at the same time as cancer therapy.
"The guideline is both patient-centered and relationship-centered. It underscores that an important skill for each provider is to understand the patient as an individual and their families' unique needs," said Walter F. Baile, MD, co-chair of the ASCO Expert Panel that developed the guideline. "The recommendations can help doctors form a trusting relationship with patients that is characterized by empathy, honesty, and a human connection with the patient and family."
The Patient-Clinician Communication: American Society of Clinical Oncology Consensus Guideline was published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It is available here.
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Information for patients about questions to ask during visits with clinicians are available at cancer.net/questions.
ASCO encourages feedback on its guidelines from oncologists, practitioners, and patients through the ASCO Guidelines Wiki at asco.org/guidelineswiki.
For an embargoed copy of the guideline, please contact Amanda Narod at amanda.narod@asco.org or 571-483-1795.
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