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The news that your Doctor suspects cancer is one of the worst things that someone could imagine hearing at the doctor’s office. It is important to understand what this means and exactly what your doctor suspects. Multiple studies have shown that most people only remember a small amount of what is discussed with their doctor. After a person receives bad news or what they perceive as bad news from their doctor, many people get a “clouded” mind that prevents them from receiving further information. Some of this may be driven by preconceptions about the word cancer or by painful memories of a relative that dealt with cancer.
In medical school, doctors receive training in how to communicate in these difficult situations because you can anticipate these barriers to be present when unpleasant news is delivered. A common strategy is to speak slowly with long pauses after sentences, to repeat information, and to ask the