# Doctors should tell patients what their problem is

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctors-should-tell-patients-what-their-problem-is/615406>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 10, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctors-should-tell-patients-what-their-problem-is/615406 "2012-03-10T20:54:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctors-should-tell-patients-what-their-problem-is/615406/21 "2012-04-13T03:08:54Z")

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This is how I was told I had cancer: “Well, from looking at your past medical history, this should be a walk in the park for you…”

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**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctors-should-tell-patients-what-their-problem-is/615406/22 "2012-04-13T16:09:59Z")

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I had a wide excision biopsy on my left boob in 2010. At the follow up appointment a month later, the surgeon started his conversation with, “Well, based on your diagnosis…”

I interrupted him. “Which is what, exactly? Nobody has ever actually _said_ the name of the condition.” He stopped and apologized, told me the dx, and even spelled it for me. But I _had_ to ask…

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