One of the most frustrating things in the clinic is meeting with patients and their families who refuse standard proven treatment in favour of options which may not have any logical or scientific basis.
It gets worse when the cancer is completely curable with standard treatment.
Most of us can reason with patients to an extent, after which it is their call. Their life. Their responsibility.
Or is it?
Do we as a medical community need to increase awareness about wrong information being dissipated amongst patients and their families? Or do we already have enough work than to spend time on this. This is a relatively small proportion of patients who are so extreme. Should we just leave them to their thoughts and ideas?
Recently I met a lady who had a breast mass but refused all treatment including a biopsy. After lots of chatting, she told me that her spiritual leader had not given her permission for treatment. We negotiated and ultimately she agreed that God has given us common sense. Prayer is vital for everything. We also need to use our brains for decisions. She agreed for treatment in the end.
"Dr Web-browser" seems to have the answers. Depends on what we are looking for.
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