The Core

Why We Are Here => Water Cooler => Topic started by: rcjordan on September 11, 2026, 12:10:39 AM

Title: In 1961, 90% Of Doctors Said They'd Avoid Telling Their Patients They Had Cancer
Post by: rcjordan on September 11, 2026, 12:10:39 AM
Back Then, That Was The Norm

https://www.iflscience.com/in-1961-90-percent-of-doctors-said-they-would-avoid-telling-their-patients-they-had-cancer-back-then-that-was-the-norm-84613

If it is incurable, I might agree --inform a close family member to help them prepare.  Modern-day dementia, for example  ...what good does it do to know?
Title: Re: In 1961, 90% Of Doctors Said They'd Avoid Telling Their Patients They Had Cancer
Post by: ergophobe on September 11, 2026, 01:40:04 AM
> what good does it do to know?

I'm hoping that it starts following the cancer trajectory. There are some promising avenues, but no serious results yet. But for the first time, it seems like things might be starting to move on dementia.

The problem with dementia is that it is a much slower train than cancer, so identifying patients to test therapies on and then proving they work is much more difficult.
Title: Re: In 1961, 90% Of Doctors Said They'd Avoid Telling Their Patients They Had Cancer
Post by: rcjordan on September 11, 2026, 02:08:43 AM
In the 90s, some doctors would ask the family members of a terminally ill patient if he/she should be kept alive or treatment changed to 'comfort.'