{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,9]],"date-time":"2025-12-09T11:41:16Z","timestamp":1765280476788,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]],"date-time":"2025-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737417600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: One of the problematic situations dermatologists face with their patients is communicating dismal diagnoses. Examples are the diagnosis and prognosis of skin cancers like melanoma and Merkel cell carcinoma and the disclosure of the chronic nature of a disease that requires long-term therapies or can lead to scarring or disfiguring conditions. Likewise, receiving a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection can be a shocking event that can also put into question the patient\u2019s relationship with his\/her partner\/partners. Some oncology and internal medicine protocols have been developed to support delivering distressing information. Regrettably, no consensus guidelines exist in dermatology, sexually transmitted infections, or other medical specialties. Methods: The protocols available in the literature to guide the disclosure of a dismal diagnosis have been reviewed in the present work. Results: The different protocols consist of several steps, from 5 to 13, and most of them are summarized by acronyms, such as \u201cSPIKES\u201d, \u201cABCDE\u201d, and \u201cBREAKS\u201d. The frameworks are listened to and explained in the manuscript. Conclusions: These communication models are suggested to be adapted to dermatology and sexually transmitted infections. Indeed, several studies demonstrated that training in communication skills and techniques to facilitate breaking bad news may improve patient satisfaction and physician comfort.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15030236","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]],"date-time":"2025-01-21T04:19:51Z","timestamp":1737433191000},"page":"236","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["How to Effectively Communicate Dismal Diagnoses in Dermatology and Venereology: From Skin Cancers to Sexually Transmitted Infections"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8363-0195","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giulia","family":"Ciccarese","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Drago","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Casa di Cura Villa Montallegro, 16100 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6373-8801","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Astrid","family":"Herzum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Specialties, ASL 3 Genovese, Via Assarotti 35, 16122 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mario","family":"Mastrolonardo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8105-1402","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Atzori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042 Cagliari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Caterina","family":"Foti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70121 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna Graziella","family":"Burroni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Dermatology, Department of Health Sciences (Di.S.Sal), University of Genoa, IRCCS-San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, 16122 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Buckman, R. 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