The Death Spiral of Cancer and Financial Hardship

[摘要] It is a sad irony that for many patients, the diagnosis of cancer comes not only with physical, mental, and emotional hardship, but financial hardship as well. Not only do cancer patients have to navigate a new vocabulary of potential treatments and side effects, but there exists a myriad of financial impacts as a result of life-saving care: copays, lost wages, and care that is not covered by insurance. The term “financial toxicity” has been coined to describe the financial burden carried by patients and subsequent distress caused by this burden (1). However, though the immediate financial toxicity of cancer care has been described, continued national assessment of financial hardship in the years after diagnosis is needed.

[学科分类] 肿瘤学