Informed Consent to the Cancer of Digestive Organs in Nagoya Memorial Hospital

Masahiro Suenaga, Yoshikazu Kokuba, Minoru Tanaka, Jyunichi Tobinaga, Hidetaka Yamanaka, Tsuyoshi Hatsuno, Masashi Uchimura

Department of Surgery, Nagoya Memorial Hospital

Our hospital was established for the treatment of malignancies and immunological diseases, as well as to contribute to regional medical care, in 1985. We recognized that patients should be given tests and treatments only after having obtained accurate information regarding their disease and a full understanding of the medical care to be provided, i.e. the establishment of an informed consent (IC) system has been one of our ideals for medical care. Therefore, in 1987 we founded an IC committee to promote IC in our hospital. As the will and the choices of patiens and their families are important issues in medical care, we began to elicit their views of medical care in 1990. Being given a diagnosis of cancer affects explanation of the treatment method (operation, chemotherapy etc.), as well as its efficacy, risks and side effects. We therefore prepared a support system for such patients. The patients were then given the diagnosis of cancer with consideration of their own will. Among 527 cases who underwent operations for cancer of the digestive organs, 82% had elected to be given the exact diagnosis and 74% of these patients were thus notified. The rate of notification was 52%, in 1990 but had increased to 88% in 1995. According to a questionnaire answered by survivors, most were satisfied with the notification procedure. Conclusion: When we hold each patient's own will in high regard and have prepared an adequate support system, it will be possible to fully inform patients regarding a diagnosis of cancer in Japan.

Key words
informed consent, cancer of digestive organs, notification of cancer

Reprint requests
Masahiro Suenaga Department of Surgery, Nagoya Memorial Hospital
4-305 Hirabari,Tenpaku-ku, Nagoya, 468 JAPAN

Accepted
June 12, 1996

To read the PDF file you will need Abobe Reader installed on your computer.