While technological advancements have made curing early stage breast cancer a reality, but a new research claims that breast cancer treatment might be taking a huge toll financially for many patients.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, was published recently in the journal Cancer, a a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The research team found that doctors and physicians are not quite acknowledging these problematic financial repercussions of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Reshma Jagsi, the lead author of the study and the deputy chairperson and professor of radiation oncology at Michigan Medicine said, “We have made a lot of progress in breast cancer treatment, which is wonderful. But this study shows we are only part of the way to our goal. We must now turn our efforts to confronting the financial devastation many patients face.”
For the study, researchers worked with nearly 2,500 patients that were given treatment for early stage breast cancer, 845 surgeons who were involved in the treatment, and medical oncologists and radiation oncologists.
Nearly 38 percent women were reported saying that they were, if not a little, somewhat anxious about their finances because of the cost of the treatment and diagnosis, some even reported that they were struggled with money to pay for the treatment. All in all about 14 percent patients said that they lost more than 10 percent of their household incomes, 17 percent said more than 10 percent of their household incomes went towards their high-cost treatment.
Data suggests that women of color suffer greatly, with African-American and Latina women not only reporting concerns about financial constraints but also being in debt due to treatment costs. Some even reported losing their homes, and living without any utilities because of unpaid bills, and not being able to save enough money for food.
When doctors were asked if they knew about the financial burden on their patients because of treatment and diagnosis related procedures- many said that they did, and even discussed it with them. Nearly 50 percent of medical oncologists and 43 percent radiation oncologists reported that they often or always discuss financial problems that patients in their practices experience- a huge contrast to that of only 16 percent of surgeons.
The team also stressed that physicians and their staff too, should take this seriously and should work towards improving communication them and their patients. “To cure a patient’s disease at the cost of financial ruin falls short of our duty as physicians to serve. It’s simply not acceptable to ignore patients’ financial distress any longer,” added Jaggi.