Clinical and Ethical Reflections Based on a Research Conducted in Psycho-Oncology on Communication during the Announcement of the Failure of an Antitumor Treatment

This article presents the clinical and ethical issues that emerged during our research in psycho-oncology. This research addresses the communication between oncologists and their patients, and pediatric oncologists and parents of sick children at a particular moment of the cancer care pathway: when they are informed about cancer treatment resistance and the absence of known curative treatment. The implementation of this study requires taking into account its emotional and psychological aspects. First, we present the issues related to the participants' recruitment: how and when to contact them? Then, we question the potential impact of this research on the participants' psychological status: which words to use and which questions to ask? Finally, we provide elements of precautions to take in interpreting and transmitting the results: what are the implications of the methodological choices? At each step, our reflections are illustrated by concrete examples. This article highlights the need for a combined clinical and ethical reflection in psycho-oncology research.