title: Patients' preference to hear cancer diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bad news disclosure is one of the complex communication tasks of the physicians. Bad news is defined as:" any news that adversely and seriously affects an individual's view of his or her future". Recent studies indicate that the patients' and physicians' attitudes toward disclosure of bad news have been changed since few years ago. The evidence of breaking bad news is also different across different cultures. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the patients' prospect about breaking bad news and to provide a clinical guidance for Iranian patients and those patients in countries with a similar cultural background.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on a sample of 200 cancer patients at a cancer institute in Tehran. The patients' demographic characteristics and their attitudes toward the manner of disclosing the diagnosis were registered in a research based questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 165 patients (82.5%) claimed to be aware of the diagnosis; however, only 121 patients (73%) were aware of the actual diagnosis of their disease. Most patients tended to know the diagnosis (n = 186, 93%) and accepted patient as the first person to be informed (n = 151, 75.5%) by their physician (n = 174, 87%). The preference of being alone or with a family member when exposed to bad news was almost the same. Most patients (n = 169, 84.5%) believed that physicians should consult the patients to make treatment decisions. Treatment options (n = 140, 70%) and life expectancy (n = 121, 60.5%) were the most desirable topics to be discussed. Most patients (n = 144, 72%) agreed upon allowing them to express their emotional feelings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the patients' preferences about being fully informed about the diagnosis, it is suggested that the disclosure of cancer diagnosis be done by a physician and in the presence of a family member. It is also recommended that physicians consult the patients about treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Psychology research center, Department of psychiatry,Tehran University of Medical sciences. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arbabi
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and psychology research center, Teheran. Iran.
authors.forename: Ava
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rozdar
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and psychology research center, Teheran. Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taher
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and psychology research center, Teheran. Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirzad
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrist, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arjmand
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and psychology research center, Teheran. Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Psychology research center, Department of psychiatry,Tehran University of Medical sciences. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
keywords: Bad news; being aware of diagnosis; life expectancy; patients’ request; treatment options