Doctors spend so many years perfecting their complex skills that they may feel demeaned if a patient rejects treatment.

She said he had rejected treatment, treated the staff disrespectfully and shown no progress since his arrival last fall.

Nor does it matter what your reasons are for rejecting life-sustaining treatment.

One mother-in-law rejected treatment for cancer (she died at home three days later).

Rejecting treatment for his own severe face wound, he continued to rescue the injured for six hours.

These "detainees," the company said, often reject treatment to focus on their legal battles.

The patient rejects treatment based on the fact the notes haven't arrived yet.

It's not that knowing possible side effects is likely to prompt cancer patients to reject life-saving treatment.

In striking contrast, by more than eight to one, Americans want laws to make sure that terminally ill patients can reject life-sustaining treatment.

"As a representative of a government that rejected such treatment for religious beliefs, I could not consider leaving them there," he said.