OBJECTIVE: To verify how the communication between physicians and patients takes place during diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of women with genital or breast cancer, utilizing bioethics as the reference for analysis. METHODS: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional epidemiological study with 120 patients randomly selected at the Hospital de Base in the Federal District of Brasilia was conducted . Patients were given a questionnaire with the following nine questions three related to diagnosis, four related to treatment, and two questions related to prognosis. RESULTS: Results showed that 73.3% of the patients considered the quality of the initial information received on the diagnosis of cancer as negative; 54.2% understood the information given in relation to diagnosis and treatment; approximately 60% knew the prognosis of cancer while less than 10% did not want additional information. However, for almost 40% of the respondents, there were some problems in the physician - patient communication in relation to the process which involves cancer. Age and extent of the disease did not influence the patients' degree of understanding about diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. CONCLUSION: Communication to patients with gynecological or breast cancer during diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis is adequate about 60% of the time. However, problems were perceived in relation to the language used by the physicians , the lack of systematic consideration towards autonomy of the patients and the absence of mechanisms that could support their power of decision.
Social communication; Bioethics; Breast neoplasms; Genital neoplasms, female; Disclosure
