title: Recordings of consultations are beneficial in the transition from curative to palliative cancer care: a pilot-study in patients with oesophageal or head and neck cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is reluctance in providing incurable cancer patients with recordings of their consultation. In this pilot-study, we explored the feasibility and utility of providing consultation recordings when patients are told a new diagnosis of non-curable cancer, and the impact of the recordings on quality of life and the openness to discuss cancer-related issues in the family.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with a new diagnosis of incurable oesophageal or head and neck cancer were randomized to receive a CD (n = 10) or no CD (n = 7) of their consultation in which the diagnosis was told and the decision to provide only palliative care was discussed. Data were collected before consultation and 1 week and 1 month afterwards. After 1 month, patients allocated to the control group were offered to receiving the CD of their consultation as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No major technical or procedural problems were encountered. Three-quarters of the patients appreciated receiving the CD, which was listened to by 8/10 patients and by 10/10 others in the CD group. After 1 month, two-thirds of the patients in the control group also asked to receive the CD. We found a trend towards a poorer quality of life but an improved openness to discuss cancer-related issues, in the CD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The provision of a CD recording on the consultation in which the transition from a curative to a palliative care stage was communicated is feasible and was well-received by most cancer patients and their family. These findings require however verification in a study with a larger sample size.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.j.uitdehaag@umcutrecht.nl
authors: Madeleen J
authors: MJ
authors: Uitdehaag
authors: Lilly-Ann
authors: LA
authors: van der Velden
authors: Maarten F
authors: MF
authors: de Boer
authors: Manon C W
authors: MC
authors: Spaander
authors: Ewout W
authors: EW
authors: Steyerberg
authors: Ernst J
authors: EJ
authors: Kuipers
authors: Peter D
authors: PD
authors: Siersema
authors: Jean F A
authors: JF
authors: Pruijn