ABSTRACT
Listening to other cancer patients in support groups and at national conferences provides valuable insights into cancer service deficiencies in the country - so much so wrong, yet until recently few people seemed to be willing or able to speak out about the 'hidden' side of cancer care. Before giving consent, patients should be told about the cancer, all treatment options and all serious short- and long-term side-effects, no matter how small the risk. Only patients themselves can fully assess the risks and implications, because only they know how these might affect the quality of their lives. People have been denied pain relief even when they pleaded for it, but cancer patients usually feel too vulnerable to complain. To a cancer patient, the cover-up may be less than convincing, as words, nuances, inflections, hesitations and body language are all analysed many times in the days following a consultation. The discrepancies mount up.
