[Breaking of bad news. Practical advice to physicians for successful communication with patients].

BACKGROUND: In the more and more complex world of modern medicine, communication skills become increasingly important. Many physicians are however unaware of their difficulties in giving information in a clear and comprehensible way. This is especially true for breaking bad news. Keys for good communication consist in: careful preparation of the physical context of the interview; finding out how much the patient knows or suspects; giving the information in small amounts and a balanced way; responding to the patient's feelings and finally making a contract for the future.