The critics and recommendations for communication training in oncology call for new ideas, which may contribute to designing the next generation of training. The aim of this work was to search the literature on communication in oncology for empirically grounded observations that might be useful for the development of training approaches.
The approach consists of identifying findings that might serve as cues for the design of the next generation of training. The literature search strategy allowed the inclusion of 68 articles.
Findings of the articles showed that multiple factors shape clinical communication: the functions and effects of information provision, the relational and interactional aspects of communication, its patient- and context-related dimensions, and the intrapsychic and context-related barriers hampering the patient encounter that clinicians are facing.
A way to reach all oncologists and to provide training centred on the singular needs of participants is a shift in the focus of training from communication tasks or communication-related situations to the clinician.
Training should focus on the competencies and qualities to be developed by clinicians, such as being flexible, able to adapt to the singular patient, sensitive to interactional aspects of communication, which influence the clinical encounter.