Financial burden amongst cancer patients treated with curative intent surgery alone

Abstract

Background: The costs of cancer care in the US continue to increase and may have serious consequences for patients. We hypothesize that even cancer patients treated with curative-intent surgery alone experience substantial financial burden. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to adult cancer patients who were treated with curative-intent surgery. Survey items included a validated instrument for measuring financial toxicity, the COST score. Demographic variables and survey responses were examined using Chi-square and Fisher exact tests. A multivariate general linear model was performed to examine the relationship between age and COST score. Results: COST scores varied widely. 30% of respondents had a COST score of ≤24 (high burden). Younger participants reported more financial burden (p = 0.008). Respondents reported that financial factors influenced their decisions regarding surgery (14%) and caused them to skip recommended care (4.7%). Cancer care influenced overall financial health (38%) and contributed to medical debt (26%). Conclusion: Curative-intent cancer care places a substantial portion of patients at risk for financial toxicity even when they don’t require chemotherapy. Interventions should not be limited to patients receiving chemotherapy.

Implications of financial toxicity in the lives of cancer patients: a reflection

“…Considering the researches that used the COST instrument, many were carried out with patients who were undergoing oral or intravenous chemotherapy, since the costs of the medication and the demands they generate are high, strongly impacting in the family budget. However, other authors (3,12) have showed the presence of financial toxicity among patients who chose to go through surgical and radiotherapy procedures as an alternative form of therapy. One of these researches (3) , carried out in the University of North Carolina (UNC), from January to July 2017, with adult patients from 6 to 18 months after a curative surgery, concluded that the surgical treatment places a substantial portion of patients under the risk of financial toxicity, even when do not need chemotherapy.…”

“…Studies related to the costs of cancer treatments show that they have grown significantly over recent years (1)(2)(3) . The reasons for this growth go from the increase in investments on clinical studies to discover new molecules for new drugs to the development of new diagnostic equipment and new treatments (1)(2) .…”

“…The reasons for this growth go from the increase in investments on clinical studies to discover new molecules for new drugs to the development of new diagnostic equipment and new treatments (1)(2) . This has impacts over both public or private health services, the population and the patients (2)(3) , to whom these costs are transmitted through increased taxes, health insurance premiums, and treatments.…”

Clinical Pharmacists in Chronic Care

“…The cost of delivering cancer treatment is estimated to rise globally with a projected total spending of $458 billion by 2030 [372]. However, the financial burden stems from employment loss, cost of care even when patients don't require chemotherapy, out of pocket costs' opportunity costs of informal care time and can continue long after the death of the patient [373,374]. Studies say 46 billion in productivity lost in major emerging economies due to cancer [375] and economic costs of tobacco-related cancers exceed USD 200 billion each year [376].…”

Alternative Treatments for Cancer Prevention and Cure [Part 1]

“…The cost of delivering cancer treatment is estimated to rise globally with a projected total spending of $458 billion by 2030 [24]. However, the financial burden stems from employment loss, cost of care even when patients don't require chemotherapy, out of pocket costs' opportunity costs of informal care time and can continue long after the death of the patient [25,26]. Studies say 46 billion in productivity lost in major emerging economies due to cancer [27] and economic costs of tobacco-related cancers exceed USD 200 billion each year [28].…”