Financial burden amongst cancer patients treated with curative intent surgery alone.

Am J Surg

Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address:

Published: September 2019

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.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6743732PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2019.01.033DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cancer patients
12
patients treated
12
cancer care
12
financial burden
8
treated curative-intent
8
curative-intent surgery
8
financial toxicity
8
cost score
8
reported financial
8
financial
7

Similar Publications

Liver cancer poses a global health challenge with limited therapeutic options. Notably, the limited success of current therapies in patients with primary liver cancers (PLCs) may be attributed to the high heterogeneity of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCCs) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCAs). This heterogeneity evolves over time as tumor-initiating stem cells, or cancer stem cells (CSCs), undergo (epi)genetic alterations or encounter microenvironmental changes within the tumor microenvironment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

TRPV4 as a Novel Regulator of Ferroptosis in Colon Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Targeting.

Dig Dis Sci

January 2025

Ningxia Medical University, Xing Qing Block, Shengli Street No.1160, Yin Chuan City, 750004, Ningxia Province, People's Republic of China.

Background: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a calcium-permeable non-selective cation channel, has been implicated in various cancers, including COAD. This study investigates the role of TRPV4 in colon adenocarcinoma and elucidates its potential mechanism via the ferroptosis pathway.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The gut microbiota, along with adenomatous polyps (AP), has emerged as a plausible contributor to CRC progression. This study aimed to scrutinize the impact of the FadA antigen derived from Fusobacterium nucleatum on the expression levels of the ANXA2 ceRNA network and assess its relevance to CRC advancement.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The surgical risk is higher for obese patients undergoing laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. To enhance the surgical safety and efficacy for obese patients, we have innovatively integrated the advantages of various surgical approaches to modify a pancreas-guided C-shaped surgical procedure. The safety and quality were assessed through a retrospective analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!