Doctors are to be trained to communicate better with cancer patients.

Research published by Professor Lesley Fallowfield shows intensive training could help patients and doctors.

Prof Fallowfield, who is based at the University of Sussex, has carried out a five-year study into improving the way doctors talk about cancer and its treatments.

Mike Richards, the Government's cancer director, has agreed to give £100,000 to start a UK training programme based on the research.

Prof Fallowfield is also head of Cancer Research UK's psychosocial oncology group at the university.

She said: "Good communication between doctors and their patients is vital because it can have a huge influence over patients treatment and quality of life.

"Poor communication leads to dissatisfaction for patients and clinicians.

"In the course of a 40-year career, a senior doctor will talk with 150,000 to 200,000 patients and their families but very few doctors have had any form of communications training.

"Doctors recognise their deficiencies in this area, which time and experience alone can not resolve."

Prof Gordon McVie, joint director general of the charity, said: "This is an important study into an area of patient care that has been neglected until now."