Physicians might be good at treating diseases, but need to learn how to care for their patients' psyches, a recent study suggests. It found that cancer specialists and surgeons rarely responded to patients with empathy.

Researchers studied 20 consultations between cancer patients and their doctors, and found that of 384 opportunities for the doctors to show empathy to patient comments such as "this is overwhelming," they missed all but 39.

Lead author Diane Morse, from the University of Rochester in New York said, "I think doctors themselves can feel vulnerable about the issue of dying."

Previous studies have shown that patients whose doctors show empathy have a better understanding of their condition and less anxiety, Morse writes. Sometimes, she says, a simple "I know that this is really scary" can go a long way in making patients feel better.