title: Reactions to cancer: communicating with patients, family and carers.
abstract: Effective communication has benefits for both patients and members of the health care team. Five main communication tasks in head and neck cancer are identified: Screening for head and neck cancer and communicating risk; Communicating the diagnosis of head and neck cancer; Providing information about treatment and pre-treatment; Communicating following treatment and dealing with fear of recurrence; Discussing the end of life. For each specific aspects of the communication situation are discussed. Underpinning each is the use of core communication skills.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Oral Health Services Research and Dental Public Health, Denmark Hill Campus, London SE5 9RW, UK. tim.newton@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: J Tim
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Newton
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013727:Terminal Care