One hundred Saudi cancer patients and companions, seen by the oncologists at King Faisal Specialist Hospital for the first time for therapy, were assessed as to how well they coped with the illness. Results of a questionnaire pointed to the fact that only 16% of the patients and 69% of the companions were informed, by the physician in charge, about the nature of the illness prior to referral to the oncologist. The patients who knew they had cancer did not react to it more intensely than patients unaware of the diagnosis. Anger and guilt also seemed to be less frequently expressed. Some of the characteristics of Islam (especially the belief in God's will) and strong interpersonal bonds found in the Kingdom seem to protect patients, making them better able to cope. However, the question in the Eastern as opposed to the Western world is "whether" rather than "how" to inform the patient.AY Bedikian, V Saleh and S Ibrahim, Saudi Patient and Companion Attitudes Toward Cancer. 1985; 5(1): 17-24

One hundred Saudi cancer patients aware of the nature of their disease were interviewed to determine their reactions to learning the diagnosis and their subsequent adjustment. Sixty-six males and 34 females with a median age of 40 years (range 15 to 76 years) were included. The median follow-up time from diagnosis of cancer was 20 months (range 6 to 131 months). Fifty-one patients were in remission and off therapy. Ninety-two percent of the patients had adverse reactions to the discovery of cancer. Fear and sadness occurred in 60% to 70% of the patients. Emotional and sleep disturbances occurred among 45% to 55% of the patients. Feelings of powerlessness, shock, and anger were less common while shame and guilt were very rare (< 10% of the patients). The median duration of these psychologic reactions was 3 to 5 months. Twenty-three patients had reactions persisting more than a year. Factors such as age, sex, level of education, yearly income, and duration of therapy did not predict who was going to have a chronic psychologic reaction. None of these patients were receiving professional assistance for their psychologic problems. The results of this study indicate that psychosocial support to cancer patients should be made available as part of their total management. This would give them social identity and emotional support, help them feel secure, and enhance their ability to cope with the stress of cancer.