Abstract
[Purpose] A questionnaire survey was carried out to demonstrate the actual situation with respect to informed consent, especially written consent, at the radiation therapy department.
[Methods and Materials] On March 25, 1996, we sent the questionnaire to 119 institutes in the Kanto area that had a radiation therapy department. There were 56 eligible replies in the 61 institutes that replied by April 30 1996.
[Results] In 63% of the institutes, less than 50% of the patients who received radiotherapy were told the truth about their diseases; in 23% of the institutes, 50% to 75% of the patients were told the truth; in 14% of the institutes, more than 75% of the patients were told the truth. Patients with breast cancer or gynecological cancer were often told the truth. The policy of 66% of radiation therapy departments was submissive to the referring physician about telling truth.
Almost all radiation oncologists explained to the patients. Most explanations were devoted solely to the patients. Almost all explanations were done verbally. A few institutes used brochures for explanations, and a few institutes used written consents. The status of disease was explained concisely in many institutes, and the aim and methods of radiotherapy were explained in detail in many institutes. The primary response and radiation side effects to normal organs were explained concisely in many institutes, but no explanation was given in some institutes. Other treatment modalities and prognosis were not explained in many institutes.
[Conclusion] Problems exist in radiation therapy departments, such as almost all treatments are commissions from a referring physician, some cases are not told the truth of their condition, only part-time doctors treat the patients in some hospitals. But it is necessary for radiation oncologists to accommodate positively to the problems of the informed consent.
