An 80-Year-Old Man Is Brought to the Emergency Department by His

An 80-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his son due to acute shortness of breath.  The patient reports a chronic cough and a 13.6-kg (30-lb) weight loss over the past 6 months.  Chest x-ray demonstrates a large mass in the right lung and an associated pleural effusion.  The patient is hospitalized and undergoes bronchoscopy with biopsy; the pathology report comes back as bronchogenic carcinoma.  When the physician initiates a private discussion about the biopsy results, the patient says, "I prefer not to be told anything.  You can discuss everything with my son.  I trust his judgment."  The patient is cognitively intact without signs of mental illness.  Which of the following is the most appropriate response by the physician?

A) "Could you tell me why you decided to get a bronchoscopy done if you did not wish to know the results?"
B) "Hearing about test results can be stressful.  Would you like to speak to the chaplain before making a decision?"
C) "I appreciate why you would not want to hear the results, but you could make informed decisions about your health if you knew."
D) "I understand that you would not like to be told the results of the biopsy.  I will share them with your son."
E) "Not knowing your results may also cause anxiety; let's discuss this with your son and see what he thinks."

Correct Answer:

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