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Primary care physicians and oncologists are partners in cancer announcement

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Abstract

Purpose

The primary care physician (PCP) is central to cancer patients’ management. Announcement of the diagnosis is a critical time for patients, even if they wish to be fully informed. The French National Cancer Plan, developed 10 years ago, includes a diagnosis disclosure procedure (DDP) to be used by oncologists, which makes specific provision for a time of communication with PCPs. So, we asked PCPs about their role in cancer announcement since the launching of the DDP.

Methods

A cross-sectional prospective study by postal questionnaire was sent to 500 PCPs in the largest region of France. It addressed (1) the characteristics of cancer disclosure, (2) PCPs’ source of information of the diagnosis, (3) time of disclosure, (4) information exchange, and (5) the physicians’ knowledge of the DDP.

Results

The response rate was 48 %. In 20 % of cases, oncologists delegated the announcement to PCPs. In 19 % of cases, it was the patient or their family who informed the PCP of the diagnosis. We identified three announcement phases of cancer diagnosis in the physicians’ clinical practice: pre-disclosure, disclosure, and repeat disclosure. In 57 % of cases, PCPs lacked information on prognosis and in 60 % on treatment. Regarding the DDP, nearly half of PCPs did not know the procedure itself or its content.

Conclusion

PCPs announce the cancer diagnosis, even if they have not received the necessary information to do so. The DDP needs to be adapted for use in primary care practice.

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Acknowledgments

The Regional Union of Healthcare Professionals provided financial support for this study. We thank all the physicians who responded to the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Department of General Practice, Toulouse-Rangueil Faculty of Medicine, 133 route de Narbonne, 31400, Toulouse, France

    Marie-Eve Rougé Bugat, Christelle Omnes, Emile Escourrou, Nathalie Boussier & Stéphane Oustric

  2. Inserm U1027, Faculty of Medicine, 37 allées Jules Guesde, 31073, Toulouse, France

    Marie-Eve Rougé Bugat, Cyrille Delpierre & Pascale Grosclaude

  3. University Department of Oncology, Toulouse University Cancer Institute IUCT-Oncopole, 1 avenue Irène Joliot-Curie, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    Jean-Pierre Delord

  4. Regional Cancer Network Oncomip, IUCT-Oncopole, 1 avenue Irène Joliot-Curie, 31059, Toulouse Cedex 9, France

    Eric Bauvin

  5. Cancer Registry of the Tarn, BP 37, 81000, Albi, France

    Pascale Grosclaude

  6. Doctor’s office, 59 rue de la Providence, 31500, Toulouse, France

    Marie-Eve Rougé Bugat & Stéphane Oustric

Authors
  1. Marie-Eve Rougé Bugat
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  2. Christelle Omnes
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Correspondence to Marie-Eve Rougé Bugat.

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Rougé Bugat, ME., Omnes, C., Delpierre, C. et al. Primary care physicians and oncologists are partners in cancer announcement. Support Care Cancer 24, 2473–2479 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-3049-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-015-3049-2

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