Peter Angelos Numerous ethical issues arise in the care of oncology
patients. Although much has been written in the last several decades on
ethical issues in caring for patients, few volumes have sought to focus
the exploration on ethical issues particularly relevant to the care of
cancer patients. In 1999, the first edition of this book was published.
Since that time, many changes have occurred in how some cancers are
diagnosed and treated, but the central ethical issues have continued to
challenge patients, families, and their health care providers. All of
the chapters from the prior edition have been updated and there are
seven new chapters in this expanded edition. In this second edition, the
perspectives on what is an ethical issue have been broadened by bringing
authors of differing backgrounds into the discussion. In Chapter 1, the
perspective of a cancer patient is provided as an open letter to
physicians. Although Parvez Kamangar is providing only one patient's
perspective, this is an essential voice that is not often heard in texts
on medical ethics. In Chapters 2 and 3, the issues of communication and
the physician-patient relationship are explored in order to better
understand how the needs of patients and families can be met. In Chapter
4, Professor Tod Chambers highlights the challenges to providing ethical
care to patients in a multicultural society.
