The aim of the study was to investigate the association of physician communication behaviours as perceived by the patient with patient reported satisfaction, distress, cancer-related self-efficacy, and perceived control over the disease in cancer patients. Questionnaires measuring distress, self-efficacy, and perceived control were completed prior to and after the consultation by 454 patients attending an oncology outpatient clinic. After the consultation, the patients also rated the physicians' communicative behaviours by completing a patient -physician relationship inventory (PPRI), and the physicians were asked to estimate patient satisfaction. The overall results showed that higher PPRI scores of physician attentiveness and empathy were associated with greater patient satisfaction, increased self-efficacy, and reduced emotional distress following the consultation. In contrast, lower PPRI scores were associated with reduced ability of the physician to estimate patient satisfaction. The results confirm and expand previous findings, suggesting that communication is a core clinical skill in oncology.

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Severe preloss grief and depressive symptoms were key predictors of postloss complicated grief and depressive symptoms. Systematic assessment may identify caregivers with a high risk profile who need targeted support.

The study failed to demonstrate superiority of any drug in terms of efficacy, but the vinorelbine combination had significantly fewer adverse effects and should be considered as an alternative first-line option.

No abstract