• Feimin Yang, Qian Zhang, Wei Kong, Hongdan Shen, Jing Lu, Xiaolong Ge, and Yiyu Zhuang.
• Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310016, China.
• Patient Prefer Adher. 2018 Jan 1; 12: 2283-2290.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes of hospitalized patients with gastrointestinal cancer toward being informed of the truth and to provide references for informing patients of their gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis.MethodsNine patients with gastrointestinal cancer were selected for this study by using a purposive sampling technique from a general surgery ward in a tertiary-level general hospital in Zhejiang Province from June 2016 to October 2016. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted, and the descriptive phenomenological method (developed by Amedeo Giorgi) was used to analyze the interview data.ResultsFive themes were developed through reading, analysis, reflection, and classification of the data: Theme 1, guessing the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer before being informed of the truth; Theme 2, eagerness to know the diagnosis results; Theme 3, expectations related to beginning treatment for cancer; Theme 4, stress and anxiety during treatment; and Theme 5, providing patients with hope and optimism at the early diagnosis stage.ConclusionPatients have a strong desire to survive and can confidently confront their gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis. Medical staff should carefully select the appropriate time to inform patients of their diagnosis by evaluating their attitudes toward being informed, thereby actively meeting patients' needs for information and treatment.

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