It's necessary because people have very different reactions. I remember when my doctor accidentally referred to my test results as a brain tumour (rather that t

It's necessary because people have very different reactions. I remember when my doctor accidentally referred to my test results as a brain tumour (rather that the less immediately concerning to the layperson benign growth or glioma). I was thinking it's a growth that hasn't changed for five years and is barely visible on a contrast MRI (small enough that one of the MRIs reported that it wasn't even there) - it's nothing to worry about, but I can could tell that my mother was panicked. You have to convey the meaning and consequences, even if it's technically slightly inaccurate or imprecise - sometimes the technically correct answer leads to the wrong interpretation (as to treatment/prognosis), in part due to the emotional baggage it carries.