Table 3.
Sources of oncologist-reported burden when communicating discontinuation of anticancer treatment
| ‘Not burdened at all’, no. (%) | ‘Not particularly burdened’, no. (%) | ‘Slightly burdened’, no. (%) | ‘Burdened’, no. (%) | ‘Heavily burdened’, no. (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insufficient time to break bad news | 12 (3.1) | 61 (15) | 90 (22) | 151 (36) | 82 (20) |
| Feeling that breaking bad news will deprive the patient of hope | 12 (3.1) | 34 (8.7) | 152 (37) | 135 (33) | 63 (15) |
| Possibility that the time for breaking bad news is interrupted by other tasks | 18 (4.6) | 86 (21) | 102 (25) | 120 (29) | 71 (17) |
| Concern that the patient may lose self-control | 16 (4.1) | 83 (21) | 163 (39) | 108 (26) | 25 (6.0) |
| Opposition from family members to breaking bad news to the patient | 39 (9.9) | 96 (24) | 134 (32) | 91 (22) | 36 (8.7) |
| Evidence from a certain group does not always apply to the patient | 43 (10) | 122 (31) | 133 (32) | 70 (17) | 28 (6.7) |
| The oncologist is unable to answer philosophical questions regarding death and the value of life | 37 (9.5) | 122 (31) | 140 (34) | 74 (18) | 21 (5.0) |
| Concern that the oncologist may be blamed by the patient's family | 73 (18) | 141 (35) | 104 (25) | 63 (15) | 15 (3.6) |
| Feeling a sense of guilt because oncologists cannot provide effective anticancer treatment | 83 (21) | 140 (35) | 102 (25) | 56 (14) | 14 (3.4) |
| Opposition from patients to breaking bad news to their families | 70 (17) | 171 (43) | 87 (21) | 47 (11) | 19 (4.6) |
| Concern that the oncologist may be criticized by the patient | 75 (19) | 149 (37) | 107 (26) | 56 (14) | 9 (2.2) |
| Fear of talking to patients whom oncologist does not know very well | 84 (21) | 138 (35) | 108 (26) | 54 (13) | 10 (2.4) |
| Scientific evidence is not always predictable or reproducible | 43 (10) | 122 (31) | 133 (32) | 70 (17) | 28 (6.7) |
| Lack of confidence in oncological medical skills | 63 (16) | 172 (43) | 106 (26) | 49 (12) | 5 (1.2) |
| Concern that the oncologist does not have the latest knowledge | 80 (20) | 179 (45) | 97 (23) | 36 (8.7) | 2 (0.5) |
| Uneasiness in changing roles from curing patients to caring for patients | 111 (28) | 176 (44) | 68 (16) | 34 (8.2) | 4 (1.0) |
| Concern that oncologists cannot answer all knowledge-based questions posed by the patient | 94 (24) | 186 (47) | 81 (20) | 29 (7.0) | 3 (0.7) |
| Oncologists fear their own illness and death | 122 (31) | 178 (45) | 62 (15) | 26 (6.3) | 4 (1.0) |
| Concern that an objective stance cannot be maintained if the oncologist becomes too intimate with the patient | 89 (22) | 195 (49) | 85 (20) | 24 (5.8) | 3 (0.7) |
| Fear that oncologists themselves may become very emotionally involved, such as expressing anger or sadness | 107 (27) | 209 (53) | 59 (14) | 18 (4.3) | 0 (0) |
Percentages do not add up to 100% due to missing data.