Abstract 560P
Background
Financial toxicity (FT), referred as negative impacts of cancer treatment on the financial wellbeing of patients and family, may influence the outcomes of cancer treatment and the quality of life. There is growing concerns of FT globally as it implies problems of access to adequate cancer treatment, particularly the affordable new oncology drugs. FT may reflect different issues in a country that provides national public coverage on cancer treatment. The study aims to investigate the FT and its associates in lung or breast cancer patients who receives systemic cancer treatments in Taiwan.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted to recruit consecutively adult lung or breast cancer patients who received systemic cancer treatments and who were younger than 70s at a hospital that provide comprehensive cancer treatment in in a rural area of Taiwan. The survey consisted of the Traditional Chinese version of Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST FACIT) questionnaire to measure FT, and demographic, social and clinical information.
Results
Of the 137 recruited, 107 consented to participate and completed the survey. A majority were in mid-age, married, female, and stage IV cancer. The sample included 57% lung cancer patients and 70% under chemotherapy and/or target-immune treatment. About 38% of them reported somewhat or higher difficulty in controlling financial situation after cancer and 63% have changed their work after cancer. The median COST value was 24 (range, 0-34; 21.0 ± 9.09). The higher financial toxicity were significantly to be the lung cancer group, work-changed group and the monthly family income less than the national average. The FT was not associated with commercial health insurance, whether to receive out-of-packet cancer treatments and education level.
Conclusions
The lengthy, uncertainty of therapy for advanced lung cancer may worsen patients’ FT. The change of working status and family financial situation plays an important role on cancer patients’ financial well-beings.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.