Previous research suggests that the way in which doctors communicate w
ith their patients has significant effects upon outcomes: ''soft'' out
comes such as satisfaction and compliance with treatment regimes; and
''hard'' outcomes such as need for analgesics and length of stay in ho
spital after surgical operations. The present investigation is concern
ed with cancer patients and tests whether providing oncologists with a
dditional training in communication may promote patients' coping, qual
ity of Life and even survival. In the first part of the investigation,
seventy-three patients at the University Hospital of Patras in Greece
were followed for a year from the time of diagnosis. Patients were se
en by the oncologist an hour or two before treatment began chemotherap
y or radiotherapy - and were asked immediately after the consultation
to rate the doctor's communication skills and behaviour. While there w
as little evidence that communication influenced either coping or qual
ity of life six to eight weeks later, there was good evidence that pat
ients' reported anxiety and depression as they came out of the consult
ation did have longer term effects. In the second part of the investig
ation, a new set of patients were assigned to have their pre-treatment
consultation under one of two conditions: in the ''experimental'' con
dition doctors were trained to give information in a way that would be
understood properly and would help to reduce anxiety and depression;
in the ''control'' condition they received no special training and con
tinued as before. The results showed that outcomes were markedly bette
r in the experimental condition than the control condition, and that a
reduction in anxiety and depression was the key factor.