Informed Consent According to Questionnaire for Patients with Gastroenterological Cancer

Shunichi Tsujitani, Michio Maeta, Nobuaki Kaibara

Department of Surgeruy I, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University

Since 1992, patients have been treated in our clinic with informed consent (IC), based on the results of a questionnaire answered at the time of admission. Among patients admitted in 1994 and 1995, 84% wanted to know their true diagnosis, and 62% wanted the details of their condition and treatment. Even when the patient's family opposed telling truth, 65% of patiens still wanted to know the truth and considered it their responsibility. The truth was told to 73% of patietns, including 60% of those with esophageal cancer, 78% with gastric cancer, 65% with colorectal cance, and 73% with hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancer. We provided IC accompanied by nurses, based on the results of the questionaire and the opinion of the family. The truth was told to 84% of patients with Stage I,II, 65% of Stage III, IV, and 70% with recurrence, only 31% with unresectable cancer and 36% in the terminal stage received their true diagnosis. According to a questionnaire answered by gastroenterological surgeons, all doctors working in our facility and in favor of IC told the truth more frequently and explained treatment and complications in greater detail, than doctors in general hospital. As telling the truth in an advanced clinical stage was difficult to do even in our clinic, IC including telling the truth is necessary shortly after admission. The system of using a questionnaire to ascertain the opinion of patients and close communication with the family increases the rate at which the truth is told and allows for the most detailed IC possible.

Key words
gastroenterological cancer, informed consent, questionnaire

Reprint requests
Shunichi Tsujitani Department of Surgry I, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University
36-1 Nishi-cho, Yonago, 683 JAPAN

Accepted
June 12, 1996

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