Breaking Potentially Bad News in Lung Cancer Workup: Telephone Versus In-person Breaking of Final Diagnosis

"All patients are informed that they will receive a telephone call between 08 AM and 5 PM on workdays, as soon as the results of invasive workup are available. This is expectedly 3 to 5 days after invasive workup. At the telephone call, patients are free to ask for a later call, to summon relatives, to turn on the loud speaker, and/or ask the physician to call one relative of choice to share the information.~Regardless of group, all patients are informed on the possibility of malignancy at every patient-physician encounter."

"All patients are provided a written and verbal appointment date 5 workdays after invasive workup, and that they will receive a telephone call if 1) results are not available at the time of the meeting, and/or 2) if results need urgent action (such as small-cell lung cancer).~At the in-person meeting, patients are free to invite family and relatives (up to 4 persons, restriction due to space available).~Regardless of group, all patients are informed on the possibility of malignancy at every patient-physician encounter."