The emotional weight behind the word 'cancer' can heavily skew patient understanding and experience of a diagnosis. Experts like Laura Scherer and Kirsten McCaffery describe how the term triggers overwhelming anxiety, ironically hindering rational discussions about specific cases. They focus on DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) as an example of confusion, given that it describes cells that are limited in their spread. Some professionals even suggest reconsidering the terminology for early and non-threatening cancers to reduce patient panic and improve communication.
'Cancer' is just this panic word, said Laura Scherer, a social psychologist... patients compare hearing the term to getting hit by a truck, like they can't process anything that comes after.'
That cancer' label is kind of an anxiety bomb that goes off for patients... some oncologists argue that, for certain early cancers... the medical profession should do away with the word altogether.
At the heart of the debate is the common breast cancer diagnosis DCIS... the National Cancer Institute defines cancer as cells that... will grow uncontrollably and spread.
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