To dislike the phrase "something sinister" for cancer?

[Dandelionchaser]

This is something that's been bugging me for a little while. When doctors say it "doesn't look sinister" or that a test is to "rule out anything sinister". It basically means cancer but without saying the actual word I feel more in the dark. Like if I'm being referred because they need to rule out cancer I want to know that's specifically what they're ruling out and not some other condition that could be considered "sinister". And the use of the word sometimes makes cancer just seem even more scary, like we dare not speak its name. Anyone else feel the same?

Yanbu.

Medical euphemisms generally trouble me. I would hope medical staff would take their lead from the patient but with a minimum level of proper information that they would use.

Erm, I guess but I haven't actually heard it referring specifically to cancer, but more general term for something more serious. I had a health issue last year and they were "investigating" incase there was something "sinister" but they didn't mean cancer, but just more serious underlying issues which might require surgery etc X

Yeah medical professionals shouldn't be using euphemisms like that.

I do agree. Although I actually only ever hear it in the context of cancer / serious problems being ruled out. So “it’s nothing sinister” seems quite usual, but would be surprised if anybody said “we’ve found something really sinister on your scan”.

Totally agree.

I don't think it necessarily means cancer but it certainly means serious ,my son was very unwell earlier this year not with cancer but every test and scan was a worry and I actually asked were the results ok or something more sinister ,what terms would you prefer?

I agree. It shouldn't be spoken of in hushed tones either. My mum still whispers the word cancer.
I don't think there's bad intentions, but you're right.

It just means serious, so not just cancer but anything nasty. It's a general term that includes cancers

Plus like you say you know that they mean cancer. So really does it make any difference?

I’m a Dr who has had cancer. When I use the word sinister I just mean anything nasty. I’m not sure if I’d class the word sinister as a euphemism, to me it’s just a catch all for bad stuff. Sometimes the differential is so vast that going through it as a list can be unnecessarily distressing/ time consuming and as the sinister things have been excluded, not helpful moving forward. How I’d have loved to be told I had nothing sinister. I’d have been so so happy. It has been an awful year.

I completely agree. I work on a hospital ward, and they don't refer to cancer as 'cancer', but 'C.A.'. So if someone has lung cancer, they will say "Bed A4 has lung C.A'. I think this is incase it's overheard, and maybe to protect their confidentiality?

I think just say it, it makes it seem like its a naughty word or taboo subject when it's not.

It was used to describe my MS by my consultant. So it's not cancer specific

I completely agree. But then I am the person that used to take my young child into the butchers and talk about animals so she knew where her food came from. Same with death. We speak about death in our house rather than passing away. Tell it like it is.

That would be so alarming 😳

I think they just say it because if they say we have to rule out...and then list a load of possible worrying conditions we will all go away and google them and start panicking than we've got them all. We might think well they must mean cancer but in a lot of cases their brains will have a few different possibilities that need to be ruled out.

Yes, If I say something is not sinister I mean it looks like something harmless.

Lots of things aren't technically cancers but are things that would be serious diagnosis

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, must be especially hard for doctors, with ill health also being your day job. There’s no refuge for you. Sending well wishes x

Policing language isn't helpful. It's worth thinking about why doctors who have significantly more experiences and training than a lay person (obviously) use language like this.

Sinister absolutely doesn't not just refer to cancer, as the doc above has said. It's a catch all for something serious/unpleasant. It would be supremely unhelpful at a stage when you don't know what it might be out of a number of options to start stating all the horrendous possibilities.

It is a fairly well researched phenomenon that most people do not hear anything during a consultation after the word "cancer", therefore words are used carefully and in a well thought out as they are exceedingly powerful

Something you would find helpful is not the same for others. I would encourage you to address this directly with your doctor and specifically state you don't find euphemisms helpful and directly ask what they are investigating for. Drs will not use your preferred method of communication for everyone just because you feel it is the most appropriate