Shoul All Facts In A Pathology Result Be Shared By A Doctor?

Posted on Thu, 17 Jul 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 Answered on

Tue, 5 Aug 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Do doctors always have to give you all the facts regarding your pathology results, examinations, etc.? I recently received a diagnosis of endometrial adenocarcinoma, endometrioid type FIGO 1. I'm pretty sure my first gynecologist didn't tell me everything, because he held back on the Pap results. Now I'm going to a gynecological oncologist who has me scheduled for a complete hysterectomy in two weeks. He's telling me that I have an 85% chance of a complete cure with the hysterectomy alone. I want to relax and concentrate on the 85% as he has told me to. But I just can't. I still fear he may be holding back like the other doctor!

Answered by Dr. Aarti Abraham (53 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
RELAX, ALL FACTS ARE GENERALLY ALWAYS TOLD

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Yes, your doctor cannot hide or falsify the staging of a malignancy.
The facts regarding the pathology results and examinations have to be made pretty clear.
SO if you are given a FIGO 1, you are that , and not more.
YEs, you have more than 85 % chance of complete cure with the surgery alone, as you are in the best possible earliest stage.
So do relax and take a deep breath.
I can understand your anxiety, but I see no reason why your initial doctor held back on the Pap result.
Probably he wanted to corroborate with the endometrial biopsy and inform you regarding both together ?
Why dont you ask him straight out about the withheld Pap result, because it is a deviation from standard practice.
Stay assured.
Prayers for you.
All the best
Please feel free to discuss further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar