Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 3/2008

01-03-2008 | Review Article

Cultural aspects of communication in cancer care

Author: Antonella Surbone

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 3/2008

Login to get access

Abstract

Cultural competence in oncology requires the acquisition of specific knowledge, clinical skills, and attitudes that facilitate effective cross-cultural negotiation in the clinical setting, thus, leading to improved therapeutic outcomes and decreased disparities in cancer care. Cultural competence in oncology entails a basic knowledge of different cultural attitudes and practices of communication of the truth and of decision-making styles throughout the world. Cultural competence always presupposes oncology professionals’ awareness of their own cultural beliefs and values. To be able to communicate with cancer patients in culturally sensitive ways, oncologists should have knowledge of the concept of culture in its complexity and of the risks of racism, classism, sexism, ageism, and stereotyping that must be avoided in clinical practice. Oncologists should develop a sense of appreciation for differences in health care values, based on the recognition that no culture can claim hegemony over others and that cultures are evolving under their reciprocal influence on each other. Medical schools and oncology training can teach communication skills and cultural competence, while fostering in all students and young doctors those attitudes of humility, empathy, curiosity, respect, sensitivity, and awareness that are needed to deliver effective and culturally sensitive cancer care.
Literature
1.
Anderlik MR, Pentz RD, Hess KR (2000) Revisiting the truth telling debate: a study of disclosure practices at a major cancer center. J Clin Ethics 11:251–259PubMed
2.
Authors Various (1997) In: Surbone A, Zwitter M (eds) Communication with the cancer patient: information and truth. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 809, New York
3.
Betancourt JR (2003) Cross-cultural medical education: conceptual approaches and frameworks for evaluation. Acad Med 78:560–569PubMedCrossRef
4.
Betancourt JR, Green AR, Carrillo JE, Ananeh-Firempong O II (2003) Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnical disparities in health and health care. Public Health Rep 188:293–302
5.
Back AL, Arnold RM, Baile WF et al (2005) Approaching different communication tasks in oncology. CA Cancer J Clin 55:164–177PubMed
6.
Baider L, Cooper CL, De-Nour K (eds) (2000) Cancer and the family, 2nd edn. Wiley, Sussex, Wiley, England
7.
Baile WF, Lenzi R, Parker PA et al (2002) Oncologists’ attitudes toward and practices in giving bad news: an exploratory study. J Clin Oncol 20:2189–2196PubMedCrossRef
8.
Benson J, Britten N (1996) Respecting the autonomy of cancer patients when talking with their families: qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews with patients. BMJ 313:729–731PubMed
9.
10.
Butler L, Degner L, Baile W et al (2005) Developing. communication competency in the context of cancer: a critical interpretive analysis of provider training programs. Psycho-Oncology 14:861–872PubMedCrossRef
11.
Butow PN, Kazemi JN, Beeney LJ et al (1996) When the diagnosis is cancer: patient communication experiences and preferences. Cancer 77:2630–2637PubMedCrossRef
12.
Butow PN, Maclean M, Dunn SM (1997) The dynamics of change: cancer patients’ preferences for information, involvement and support. Ann Oncol 8:857–863PubMedCrossRef
13.
Carrese J, Rhodes L (1995) Western bioethics on the Navajo reservation: benefit or harm? JAMA 274:826–829PubMedCrossRef
14.
Chiu L-Q, Lee W-S, Gao F et al (2006) Cancer patients’ preferences for communication of unfavourable news: an Asian perspective. Supp Care Cancer 14:818–824CrossRef
15.
Clayton JM, Butow PN, Tattersall MHN (2005) The needs of terminally ill patients versus those of caregivers for information regarding prognosis and end of life issues. Cancer 103:1957–1964PubMedCrossRef
16.
Donchin A (2001) Understanding autonomy relationally: toward a reconfiguration of bioethical principles. J Med Phil 26:365–386CrossRef
17.
Doorenbos AZ, Meyers Schim S, Benkert R, Borse NN (2005) Psychometric evaluation of the cultural competence assessment instrument among healthcare providers. Nurs Res 54:324–331PubMedCrossRef
18.
Dhruva A, Cheng J, Kwon M, Luce JA, Abrams D (2006) Contrasts, conflicts, and change: a case in cultural oncology. J Supp Oncol 4:301–304
19.
Dunn SM, Patterson PU, Butow PN et al (1993) Cancer by another name: a randomized trial of the effects of euphemism and uncertainty in communicating with cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 11:989–996PubMed
20.
Elwyn TS, Fetters MD, Sasaki H, Tsuda T (2002) Responsibility and cancer disclosure in Japan. Soc Sci Med 54:281–293PubMedCrossRef
21.
Fallowfield L, Jenkins V (2004) Communicating sad, bad, difficult new in medicine. Lancet 363:312–319PubMedCrossRef
22.
Farber SJ, Egnew TR, Herman-Bertsch JL et al (2003) Issues in end-of-life care: patient, caregiver and clinical perceptions. J Palliat Med 6:19–31PubMedCrossRef
23.
24.
Freedman B (1993) Offering truth. One ethical approach to the uninformed cancer patient. Arch Intern Med 153:572–576
25.
Fujimori M, Akechi T, Azikuki N (2005) Good communication with patients receiving bad news about cancer in Japan. Psycho Oncology 14:1043–1045PubMedCrossRef
26.
Grassi L, Giraldi T, Messina EG et al (2000) Physicians’ attitudes to and problems with truth-telling to cancer patients. Support Care Cancer 8:40–45PubMed
27.
Harrison A, Al-Saadi AMH, Al-Kaabi ASO et al (1997) Should doctors inform terminally ill patients? The opinions of nationals and doctors in the United Arab Emirates. J Med Ethics 23:101–107PubMedCrossRef
28.
Higginson IJ, Costantini M (2002) Communication in the end of life care: a comparison of team assessment in three European countries. J Clin Oncol 20:3674–3682PubMedCrossRef
29.
Holland JC, Geary N, Marchini A, Tross S (1987) An international survey of physician attitudes and practices in regard to revealing the diagnosis of cancer. Cancer Invest 5:151–154PubMedCrossRef
30.
Kagawa-Singer M, Blackhall LJ (2001) Negotiating cross-cultural issues at the end of life. JAMA 286:2993–3001PubMedCrossRef
31.
Kagawa-Singer M (2003) A strategy to reduce cross-cultural miscommunication and increase the likelihood of improving health outcomes. Acad Med 78:577–587PubMedCrossRef
32.
Kalnins ZP (1997) Cultural diversity and today’s managed health care. J Cult Diversity 4:43
33.
Koenig BA, Gates-Williams J (1995) Understanding cultural differences in caring for dying patients. West J Med 163:244–249PubMed
34.
Langer N (1999) Culturally competent professionals in therapeutic alliances enhance patient compliance. J Health Care Poor Underserved 10:19–26PubMed
35.
Levy LM (1997) Communication with the cancer patient in Zimbabwe. In: Surbone A, Zwitter M (eds) Communication with the cancer patient: information and truth. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2nd edn. New York Academy of Sciences, New York, pp 131–141
36.
Maguire P, Faulkner A (1988) Communicate with cancer patients: handing uncertainty, collusion, denial. BMJ 297:972–974PubMed
37.
Maguire P, Faulkner A, Booth K et al (1996) Helping cancer patients disclose their concerns. Eur J Cancer 32:78–81CrossRef
38.
Matthews DA, Suchman AL, Branch WT (1993) Making connexions: enhancing the therapeutic potential of patient–clinician relationships. Ann Intern Med 118:973–77PubMed
39.
40.
Mook E, Chan F, Chan V et al (2003) Family experience caring for terminally ill patients with cancer in Hong Kong. Cancer Nursing 26:267–275CrossRef
41.
Mystadikou K, Parpa E, Tsilika E et al (2004) Cancer information disclosure in different cultural contexts. Support Care Cancer 12:147–154CrossRef
42.
Newman J (1998) Managing cultural diversity: the art of communication. Radiol Technol 69:231–246PubMed
43.
Olweny C (1994) The ethics and conduct of cross-cultural research in developing countries. Psycho Oncology 3:11–20CrossRef
44.
Ozdogan M, Samur M, Bozcuk HS et al (2004) Do not tell: what factors affect relative’ attitudes to honest disclosure of diagnosis to cancer patients? Supp Care Cancer 12:497–502CrossRef
45.
Parker PA, Baile WF, deMoor C et al (2001) Breaking bad news about cancer: patients’ preferences for communication. J Clin Oncol 19:2049–2056PubMed
46.
47.
Phipps E, Ture G, Harris D et al (2003) Approaching end of life: attitudes, preferences, and behaviors of African–American and White patients and their family care-givers. J Clin Oncol 21:549–554PubMedCrossRef
48.
Russell Searight H, Gafford J (2005) Cultural diversity at the end of life: issues and guidelines for family physicians. Am Fam Physician 71:515–522PubMed
49.
Seibert PS, Stridh-Igo P, Zimmmermann CG (2002) A checklist to facilitate cultural awareness and sensitivity. J Med Ethics 28:143–146PubMedCrossRef
50.
Seo M, Tamura K, Shijo H et al (2000) Telling the diagnosis to cancer patients in Japan: attitude and perceptions of patients, physicians and nurses. Palliat Med 14:105–110PubMedCrossRef
51.
Sullivan RJ, Menapace LW, White RM (2001) Truth-telling and patient diagnosis. J Med Ethics 27:192–197PubMedCrossRef
52.
53.
54.
Surbone A, Ritossa C, Spagnolo AG (2004) Evolution of truth-telling attitudes and practices in Italy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 52:165–172PubMedCrossRef
55.
Surbone A (2006) Communication preferences and needs of cancer patients: the importance of content. Supp Care Cancer 14:781–791
56.
Surbone A (2006) Telling truth to patients with cancer: what is the truth? Lancet Oncol 7:944–950PubMedCrossRef
57.
Surbone A (2006) Family, autonomy and cultural differences. In: Holland J, Baider L, Johansen C, Surbone A (eds) Care giving in context. American Society of Clinical Oncology Educational Book, pp 156–159
58.
Surbone A, Kagawa-Singer M, Terret C, Baider L (2006) The illness trajectory of elderly cancer patients age across cultures: SIOG position paper. Ann Oncol 18:633–638PubMedCrossRef
59.
Surbone A (2006) Cultural aspects of communication in cancer care. In: Stiefel F (ed) Communication in cancer care. Recent results in cancer research. vol. 168. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 91–104
60.
61.
Taboada P, Bruera E (2001) Ethical decision-making on communication in palliative cancer care: a personalist approach. Supp Care Cancer 9:335–343CrossRef
62.
Tse CY, Chong A, Fok SY (2003) Breaking bad news: a Chinese perspective. Palliat Medicine 17:339–343CrossRef
63.
Vega WA (2005) Higher stakes for cultural competence. Gen Hosp Psych 27:446–450CrossRef
64.
Vincent JL (1998) Information in the ICU: are we being honest with our patients? The results of a European questionnaire. Intensive Care Med 24:1251–1256PubMedCrossRef
65.
Voogt E, van Leeuwen AF, Visser AP et al (2005) Information needs of patients with incurable cancer. Supp Care Cancer 13:943–948CrossRef
66.
Zweifler J, Gonzales AM (1998) Teaching residents to care for culturally diverse populations Academic Med 73:1056–1061CrossRef
67.
Williams CJ, Zwitter M (1994) Informed consent in European multicenter randomized clinical trials—are patients really informed? Eur J Cancer 30:907–910CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Cultural aspects of communication in cancer care
Author
Antonella Surbone
Publication date
01-03-2008
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-007-0366-0

Other articles of this Issue 3/2008

Supportive Care in Cancer 3/2008 Go to the issue

Special Article

Cancer and thrombosis: an increasingly important association

Editorial

Cancer-related fatigue—new theories?

Short Communication

Quality of life of breast cancer patients in the course of adjuvant radiotherapy

Society News

Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer

Letter to the Editor

Daily low-dose aspirin in cancer patients with central venous catheter: new role for an old drug

Erratum

Cancer and thrombosis: an increasingly important association
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits