Cultivating support through effective communication between a medical team and a cancer patient – case report

Abstract

The implementation of appropriate and individualized communication with the patient results in the identification and resolution of a series of interfering and disabling factors that compromise a positive therapeutic outcome. This paper presents a case report as an example of good communication between a patient suffering from breast cancer and a cancer treatment team, which was achieved during and after the radiation therapy. The health professionals’ quality consultative and educational approach to the patient and her family throughout the time of crisis contributed to the resolution of the patient’s current problems and consequently to the success of the cancer treatment. The development of an anxiety disorder in the patient was prevented, while increasing her self-awareness and achieving her psychophysical stability in dealing with the challenges of the malignant disease and its treatment. Adequate communication and a supportive psychological approach between the medical team and the patient/family during oncological treatment are of tremendous importance, and represent one of the major factors necessary to achieve a positive outcome of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.