@article {Akabayashi296, author = {A Akabayashi and M D Fetters and T S Elwyn}, title = {Family consent, communication, and advance directives for cancer disclosure: a Japanese case and discussion.}, volume = {25}, number = {4}, pages = {296--301}, year = {1999}, doi = {10.1136/jme.25.4.296}, publisher = {Institute of Medical Ethics}, abstract = {The dilemma of whether and how to disclose a diagnosis of cancer or of any other terminal illness continues to be a subject of worldwide interest. We present the case of a 62-year-old Japanese woman afflicted with advanced gall bladder cancer who had previously expressed a preference not to be told a diagnosis of cancer. The treating physician revealed the diagnosis to the family first, and then told the patient: "You don{\textquoteright}t have any cancer yet, but if we don{\textquoteright}t treat you, it will progress to a cancer". In our analysis, we examine the role of family consent, communication patterns (including ambiguous disclosure), and advance directives for cancer disclosure in Japan. Finally, we explore the implications for Edmund Pellegrino{\textquoteright}s proposal of "something close to autonomy" as a universal good.}, issn = {0306-6800}, URL = {https://jme.bmj.com/content/25/4/296}, eprint = {https://jme.bmj.com/content/25/4/296.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Medical Ethics} }