Which of the following is a method of breaking bad news: March 2009

Ans. C: SpikeSpikes is the procedure for disclosing unorable information -- "breaking bad news" -- to cancer patients about their illness.The protocol (SPIKES) consists of six steps.The goal is to enable the clinician to fulfill the four most impoant objectives of the interview disclosing bad news: gathering information from the patient, transmitting the medical information, providing suppo to the patient, and eliciting the patient's collaboration in developing a strategy or treatment plan for the future.Oncologists, oncology trainees, and medical students who have been taught the protocol have repoed increased confidence in their ability to disclose unorable medical information to patients.