Possible alleviation of symptoms and side effects through clinicians' nocebo information and empathy in an experimental video vignette study.

To alleviate anti-cancer treatment burden in advanced breast cancer, patient-clinician communication strategies based on nocebo-effect mechanisms are promising. We assessed distinct/combined effects on psychological outcomes (e.g.

Mind your words: Oncologists' communication that potentially harms patients with advanced cancer: A survey on patient perspectives.

Background: Many complaints in medicine and in advanced illnesses are about communication. Little is known about which specific communications harm. This study explored the perspectives of patients with advanced cancer about potentially harmful communication behaviors by oncologists and helpful alternatives.

Addressing challenges in information-provision: a qualitative study among oncologists and women with advanced breast cancer.

Background: There is a need for more insight into how to address challenges of information-provision for women with advanced breast cancer. We aimed to explore oncologists' and patients' views on (i) the challenges of information-provision, and (ii) possible strategies to address these challenges, meanwhile (iii) exploring the possible facilitating role of positive expectations and empathy.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were held with oncologists (n = 10) and women with advanced breast cancer (n = 14).

Explicit prognostic information and reassurance about nonabandonment when entering palliative breast cancer care: findings from a scripted video-vignette study.

Purpose: When discussing the transition to palliative care for patients with breast cancer, oncologists have to find a balance between giving explicit information while not overwhelming patients and being realistic while remaining hopeful. It is unclear whether patients prefer more or less explicit prognostic information, and reassuring patients that they will not be abandoned may provide realistic hope. We assessed the effect of explicit prognostic information and reassurance about nonabandonment at the transition to palliative care.