ONCOLOGISTS ATTITUDES TO TREATMENT OF CANCER-PATIENTS

This study, based on questionnaire responses of 46 Israeli oncologists , explores the factors influencing these physicians' beliefs and decis ions regarding chemo-and radiation therapy. A simple discriminant anal ysis identified five physician-related variables with a significant im pact on the subjects' attitudes to treatment: age, sex, years of oncol ogy experience, pity for the patient, and whether they believed all ca ncer patients suffer from pain. In the absence of an unambiguous clini cal protocol, the major influences on decisions to treat with chemo- o r radiation therapy include, in addition to diagnosis, the patient's o verall health, the physician's perception of treatment effectiveness, and the stage to which the illness has progressed. The discussion of t he findings centers on their implications for practice.